DD is receiving 10 day old bantam Ameraucanas later this month, and I am sorely tempted to sneak them under our broody Silkie and let her do the work. (I do realize this has to be done carefully and we can brood the chicks inside if she won't accept them.) Since these chicks are the beginning of my DD's show flock, they do need to be fairly regularly handled, which I guess is the benefit of brooding them under a light instead. On the other hand, it seems like giving them a momma is a more natural thing to do, and eliminates all the worries about the power going out, chicks not being warm enough, etc. Is a momma hen generally ferocious about letting humans handle her babies, or if she's tame herself will she allow a trusted human to handle her chicks? It's hard to imagine Fluffina being anything other than friendly, but it would be bad if DD couldn't spend time playing with the babies since they are her 4-H project this year.
