Update on almost exponential flock increase, not ready for it!

[mopalia]

My hen stopped laying, turned out to be setting on eggs under a cedar tree. She hatched 12. the next day I heard hysterical peeping from the nest (they were all off the nest), and when I checked there was a chick in the nest stuck to its shell, which fell off when I picked it up. It couldn't stand, and the mother hen was not interested. So I brought it in and after 2 days, thanks to your encouragement and help, it was standing. But it was clearly depressed and lonely, so we corralled one of the other chicks, and the two of them are thriving in a large Tupperware container in my living room. Here's my concern. I will be away for 5 days next week. I do have someone coming to check on the chickens daily, but I am uncomfortable leaving them alone, with the heat lamp on. Is there any chance the mama will accept them if I put them out with her? I'm not sure I can slip them under her at night - she has so far refused to go in the coop, even though I have fenced them into a much smaller area. I don't even know where she's sleeping. Suggestions? Thanks for all the support, we wouldn't have gotten this far without you all!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My hen stopped laying, turned out to be setting on eggs under a cedar tree. She hatched 12. the next day I heard hysterical peeping from the nest (they were all off the nest), and when I checked there was a chick in the nest stuck to its shell, which fell off when I picked it up. It couldn't stand, and the mother hen was not interested. So I brought it in and after 2 days, thanks to your encouragement and help, it was standing. But it was clearly depressed and lonely, so we corralled one of the other chicks, and the two of them are thriving in a large Tupperware container in my living room. Here's my concern. I will be away for 5 days next week. I do have someone coming to check on the chickens daily, but I am uncomfortable leaving them alone, with the heat lamp on. Is there any chance the mama will accept them if I put them out with her? I'm not sure I can slip them under her at night - she has so far refused to go in the coop, even though I have fenced them into a much smaller area. I don't even know where she's sleeping. Suggestions? Thanks for all the support, we wouldn't have gotten this far without you all!

Depending on the age and if the orphan looks like the others, she might accept it if it can keep up with the others. But she also might not accept either back if it's been too long

 

[rosemarythyme]

Unlikely she'd accept new chicks after leaving the nest with her new brood. Some hens will but it's not the norm.