what time to slip chicks under Mom?

[san415]

I am going to place some chicks under my broody Silkie hen tonight. Should I do it early in the night? Like about midnight? Or in the morning, but still dark? Like at 4am?

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

I just posted something similar but with a young roo I am trying to add to the pack...

from what I read once the hen is sleeping do it.

Now would be a perfect time. I just slipped mine out about 2 hours ago and the girls opened their eyes but they didn't pounce him when I put him in.
so we shall see in the morning if they are nicer to him or not..

KMFX and good luck to your broody bantam.

 

[kidd42]

Waiting for reply's. I will be having the same issues in a few weeks.

 

[jen5680]

Any time when they are sleeping is fine.

 

[san415]

Ok I guess I will take care of it now. I was going to get up at 4am and slip them under then. If I slip them under now then I can get up just before dawn and be out side t hear if it seems like everything is ok. Wish the little chicks luck.

 

[san415]

Well they are out there, I am so worried. Its very cold here, if the silkie hen cant keep them warm enough they wont be alive in the morning. She still has one egg under her, I just hope she pulls the babies under herself and keeps them there. I tucked them under her as best I could with out pushing her around to much. They were peeping softly when I stood out side the coop for a minute. They were sound asleep here in the house. I took them out side with a warm towel around them, but they still woke up. I just hope they are ok, I worry they might be hungry too. But I guess they wouldnt be eating at night here inside either.

Off to bed for me so I can go out to stand out side the coop in the morning before first light.

 

[speakup4kids]

I know most people say to do it at night but my chickens aren't the smartest and they wake up any time I go out there anyway so I figured I'd just put the chicks under them when I got home from the store. It was about 4 pm and still light outside but they took them just fine. I was really worried that if it wasn't light and they couldn't see them that they would freak out and either think they were "bad guys" or not notice them at all. (I did say they weren't very smart, I have to give them light to eat if it's dark) They lost one chick so far, it completely vanished into thin air, but otherwise they are doing well with them. I must say that after they lost the one chick all four of my hens became extra vigilant with the remaining four. Every night I go in to check on them and all 4 are squished into one nest box with the four chicks stuffed somehow between them.

 

[kidd42]

Update us please! How did the chicks do last night?

 

[san415]

good so far. The only concern I have is that it is so cold in Michigan right now. The Mom hen is keeping them warm under her, but the food doesn't look like they have been in it. So I think she is not having them eat or drink anything. That worries me. Maybe someone with some more experience will let me know what they think I should do?

 

[kidd42]

Sounds promising. What part of Michigan? I'm orignally from Highland Michigan in Oakland county.