Will my lonely hen adopt babies?

[mrshafer5]

All but one of my Brahmas are left. We call her night owl she survived hawk attacks and the coons. So I am keeping her but tomorrow is new chick day. How can I try to introduce them for possible adoption or should I wait? I'm not sure if I should try to give them to her or what thank you.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Lonely does not equal broody, so the likely outcome of a direct adoption attempt will be dead chicks.
What you could do is b roid the chicks in the coop with her (if your setup allows) so that by 4-5 weeks you can start integrating them. @azygous and @Blooie both have some great writeup on this.
This is my present setup that allows what I am suggesting:

Those are 4 day old chicks in my brooding section with a mama heat pad for warmth and the adult hens they'll integrate with in a few weeks

 

[diamondsilkies]

If she's not broody, it's very likely she will not accept the chicks. As @Ol Grey Mare suggested, you could create a setup where she can see the chicks but not harm them. As they get older and less fragile, you can start letting them out in the yard together, under supervision. If she starts hurting them, separate them again. Slowly they should all get used to each other.

Another method I've used before is to cut a tiny door in the brooder that is big enough for them to get out, but not big enough for her to get in. That way they can go out with her if they want but have a safe place if needed. Again, I would do this after they're a little older, at least 3-4 weeks. Good luck!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

 

[Kessel23]

All but one of my Brahmas are left. We call her night owl she survived hawk attacks and the coons. So I am keeping her but tomorrow is new chick day. How can I try to introduce them for possible adoption or should I wait? I'm not sure if I should try to give them to her or what thank you.

Adult hens will only accept chicks that they hatched. Chickens are opportunistic animals and will kill and attempt to eat all small animals, including chicks. This does not go for all breeds and only applies to hens, a rooster will usually not attack any baby chicks because in the wild there would be a high chance that the chick is his. This is in the instincts of most breeds of roosters, if they were always attacking and killing chicks then they would not pass on there genes. Hens do not really care, if they did not spend 21 days setting on a chick then they see it as a possible food source. The hens treat chicks that they did not hatch the same as they treat a mouse eating their grain. This also does not apply to really calm breeds of chickens like the silkie, they will usually not attack any chick.

 

[sourland]

As others have said unless she is broody and preferably has been so for close to three weeks she will not foster chicks. Follow the advice given by previous posters.

 

[azygous]

Your hen and your new chicks will be very curious about one another, but they need to be kept separate until the chicks are at least two weeks old.

Chicks that are under two weeks old have a very strong instinct to want to get under any adult hen they come into contact with, and this can be deadly unless the hen has been broody and is at the point in the broody cycle where she is ready to care for chicks

Chicks may appear to be unaware of their surroundings, but they are curious and are constantly learning. By placing your brooder in direct proximity to this hen, the chicks will be learning about her, and she will be getting used to having them around.

As has been mentioned, by creating small openings (more than one!) in the brooder when the chicks reach around two weeks, they can come and go in perfect safety, and all will become integrated in a very short time. This is accomplished much more easily by brooding the chicks in the coop with the hen rather than introducing them later when they're much older.

 

[mrshafer5]

Lonely does not equal broody, so the likely outcome of a direct adoption attempt will be dead chicks.
What you could do is b roid the chicks in the coop with her (if your setup allows) so that by 4-5 weeks you can start integrating them. @azygous and @Blooie both have some great writeup on this.
This is my present setup that allows what I am suggesting:
View attachment 1269734
Those are 4 day old chicks in my brooding section with a mama heat pad for warmth and the adult hens they'll integrate with in a few weeks

Im not sure if she is broody i havent found any eggs in a week or so. Everytime i try to touch her she flattens her back and spreads her wings. Ill probably just split them either way.

 

[mrshafer5]

Thank you all very much. Seperating and integrating sounds like a plan ill be in the workshop adjusting my setup tonight. Appreciate it

 

[azygous]

Your hen does sound broody. When are you expecting to get the chicks?

I recommend proceeding with the plan to brood the chicks beside the hen. One way to tell if she is becoming receptive to brooding the chicks will be if you see her "tid-bitting" to the chicks. That is a sign of bonding, and you might then allow her access to them after they've been introduced for a period.