Will mama adopt older chicks?

[Chicken_Crazy0810]

My BO went broody a while ago and just hatched a chick today! Only one sadly so far. My BR also went broody the same day and hatched a baby! Only one as well. They are great mother but since we are moving to a farm, we would like 4 guinea fowl. The ones we are looking into buying are 12 days old. Should i give each hen 2 guineas or take one chick and give it to the mama and let the other only have guineas? The mom will adopt the chick if i need to do that! (Im just worried that the older chicks will kill the younger ones) any feedback is great! Thank you!

 

[Pyxis]

The hen might take to the guineas, but the guineas wouldn't take to her. They are well past imprinting age. Even if the hen accepted them as her offspring, they wouldn't take to her as their mother. So if you get those guineas you're better off leaving one chick with each hen and brooding the guineas on your own.

 

[Chicken_Crazy0810]

The hen might take to the guineas, but the guineas wouldn't take to her. They are well past imprinting age. Even if the hen accepted them as her offspring, they wouldn't take to her as their mother. So if you get those guineas you're better off leaving one chick with each hen and brooding the guineas on your own.

Thank you! But that is the problem. Would we have to brood them!? Are you for sutre they would not be atatched? If she did accept them what would they exactly do?

 

[Pyxis]

They wouldn't go under her for warmth, they wouldn't follow her around, they wouldn't be listening to her calling them back to her, etc.

Yes, you would have to brood them on your own. Since they're not even the same species, since they are past the imprinting window it's just very unlikely they'd let her take care of them, even if she did accept them, which she also might not. I've had hens kill other chicks the same age as her current chicks. They can tell when a chick isn't theirs after they've had their chicks for awhile. And some will kill those that aren't theirs.

 

[Chicken_Crazy0810]

They wouldn't go under her for warmth, they wouldn't follow her around, they wouldn't be listening to her calling them back to her, etc.

Yes, you would have to brood them on your own. Since they're not even the same species, since they are past the imprinting window it's just very unlikely they'd let her take care of them, even if she did accept them, which she also might not. I've had hens kill other chicks the same age as her current chicks. They can tell when a chick isn't theirs after they've had their chicks for awhile. And some will kill those that aren't theirs.

Alright thank you!