Will our broody adopt day-old chicks?

[aart]

Does anybody know how long they can go without food and water at this age (approx. 4-5 days)?

Not long....like don't leave them without it.
It's only the very first couple days after hatch that they can go without as the continue to feed on the yolk in their bellies.

 

[mountainchickens]

Not long....like don't leave them without it.
It's only the very first couple days after hatch that they can go without as the continue to feed on the yolk in their bellies.

Alright, thanks. Tonight I will try tucking them under her. The rest of our flock is roosting now. Getting up before first light to boot them out into the run, check on the little ones and turn on the heat lamp if they need it. Right now they're asleep under it inside. Fingers crossed she'll accept them.

 

[mountainchickens]

Tucked them under her last night and they seem to be fine! She has them under her and everything. This morning they went to get food and water a few feet away, then couldn't find their way back to the nest, so we put them back in her nesting box and she chirped and they went under her. If she's adopted them... anyone know how long she will take to bring them out of the nest into the main coop or the run? Thanks!

 

[BarnGems]

Ok, thanks! Mom wasn't accepting them. Ignoring them, etc. Our coop does have a plexiglass window so we are going to try again after dark. For now they are in a makeshift brooder on our back deck, under the heat lamp. They've been eating and drinking and seem happy, so that's good. Will try again just after dark.

Those chicks look more like 8-10 day old birds with those full wings and shoulder feathers. My 3 -5 day olds barely have feathers along the edge of their wings.

 

[BarnGems]

Tucked them under her last night and they seem to be fine! She has them under her and everything. This morning they went to get food and water a few feet away, then couldn't find their way back to the nest, so we put them back in her nesting box and she chirped and they went under her. If she's adopted them... anyone know how long she will take to bring them out of the nest into the main coop or the run? Thanks!

I hope all goes well with your adoption process. I've not had a broody hen before so I find what your doing very interesting. Maybe the breed you picked feathers out more quickly than mine (Sapphire Gems/Barnevelder), so they seem older to me.

 

[aart]

If she's adopted them... anyone know how long she will take to bring them out of the nest

She should be doing that very soon...and clucking when they cheep in distress at being ;lost'.

Those chicks look more like 8-10 day old birds with those full wings and shoulder feathers.

I thought the same.

 

[mountainchickens]

Those chicks look more like 8-10 day old birds with those full wings and shoulder feathers. My 3 -5 day olds barely have feathers along the edge of their wings.

Hmmm.... yes, I was thinking about that as well. The person we bought them from said they were around 4-5 days. They do have very well-developed wing feathers...

I hope all goes well with your adoption process. I've not had a broody hen before so I find what your doing very interesting. Maybe the breed you picked feathers out more quickly than mine (Sapphire Gems/Barnevelder), so they seem older to me.

Thanks! Yeah, maybe. They're purebred Speckled Sussex... I don't know much about the breed, but it's possible that they feather quicker, maybe?

She should be doing that very soon...and clucking when they cheep in distress at being ;lost'.

I thought the same.

Alright, thanks! We've had to place them back in the nesting box twice since earlier, but each time they snuggle under her and she lets them. I'm not sure they know she's the warm, safe place to go back to quite yet. But she isn't clucking yet when they're away from her, and they're not really cheeping in distress...

 

[aart]

Alright, thanks! We've had to place them back in the nesting box twice since earlier, but each time they snuggle under her and she lets them. I'm not sure they know she's the warm, safe place to go back to quite yet. But she isn't clucking yet when they're away from her, and they're not really cheeping in distress...

Wonder if she's still 'tranced' out in 'setting mode'.
At least she hasn't attacked them.
Might try pulling her out of nest and putting down some feed on the ground.

 

[mountainchickens]

Wonder if she's still 'tranced' out in 'setting mode'.
At least she hasn't attacked them.
Might try pulling her out of nest and putting down some feed on the ground.

That seems to describe what she's been doing. She sometimes pecks at them, but hasn't hurt them, drawn blood, etc. But yes, at least she hasn't attacked. I've heard horror stories of mama hens killing their adoptees.
Alright, maybe we'll try that... would that pull her out of setting mode?
We are going to give her a couple more days to see if she'll go into mothering them. She really seems to be in a trance.

 

[aart]

Alright, maybe we'll try that... would that pull her out of setting mode?

It will at least while she's out of the nest....then see how she reacts to the chicks....and how they react to her. The chicks should try to follow her.