Will My Mama Hen Adopt This Chick?

[BekkiH]

So, my broody sat on a bunch of eggs, and three of them hatched on Tuesday and into Wednesday. They're all doing great - last I checked, she was teaching them how to take a dirt bath

I checked the egg boxes before going inside, and noticed that one of the unhatched eggs is peeping, and has already zipped!!! We will have another chick probably sometime this afternoon!

Mama hen has already been out and about, exploring with her babies. Do you think she will still take this one under her wing when and if she discovers it inside the coop tonight? Or should I be preparing the brooder?

 

[Judy]

If possible, I would keep an eye on things and slip the new one under her after dark --- if she hasn't already taken it into the flock.

 

[farnorth]

It's possible. I slipped 7 chicks under my Broody Buff Orpington. She took them fine. 2 days later we added 2 more chicks my daughter bought (they were from the same batch at the same store). We added them in broad daylight. One ran over and mingled with the chicks right away and was accepted. One of the new 2 stayed back and the hen would not accept it. Tried again at night still no go. She hated it and would make a god awful screech whenever she looked at it. So we returned it to the store.