ZoeBunny Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Just wanted some advice really... I have a broody who successfully hatched one chick out of 3 eggs given to me after a friends broody got off the nest and let them go cold (was amazed even one survived) However I currently have 5 eggs in an incubator that were destined for my broody which are due to hatch this coming weekend. Do you think there's any possibility that I could 'sneak' the newly hatched chicks under her and she would foster them? Or would she kill them? I have an electric brooder which I'll set up just in case, but it seems so silly to have one hen and one chick in one pen and then have to raise 5 chicks separately. I thought that if waited until nighttime and put them in a box under her coop for a little while so she could hear them and then pop them in under cover of darkness it might work. New to hatching, so any advice or ideas would be greatly received Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 I've successfully added new chicks to a broody and a single chick that was 3 or 4 days old but I'd kept them on lock down until the day before I got the day old chicks in the hope that the other eggs would hatch. I was advised that the chance of it working was low and to shut the broody and chick in the coop before I went to fetch the new ones. then to pop them straight under 'mom' as soon as I got home and to check them after about an hour as by then she would either accepted them or rejected them. but as soon as I put the first one in with it was clear that she was going to accept them as she went from been miserable as sin to a contented happy broody mom. I think it helped to that she's an experienced first class broody to . I should add that I only went down this route because she wasn't happy with a single chick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 She's still sitting on the 2 other eggs that didn't hatch.. Could she be 'waiting' for them to hatch too? She's a first time mum and seems to be doing a great job so far Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 Hi are you sure the other 2 eggs shes sitting on are a no go have you candled them ?I always put eggs from my incy under broodys and mix and match but with another 4-5 days to go might be a bit long for her to sit but depends if you have food and water in with her as her instincts to look after her chick will be more than for her to hang around waiting for eggs to hatch if that makes sense leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 The chick is now 3 days old.. and the eggs were due to hatch 3 days earlier than that in the first place. I haven't candled them to be honest since day 10 but I'd be really surprised if either hatched now. She's still on lock down but has access to food and water inside the coop (has plenty of space in there) Maybe I should see if she's still sitting when the remaining 5 eggs reach day 21 and transfer them under her when they start pipping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 This is Mummy and her first chick And this is where she still is 3 days later (apart from getting off to poop and eat once a day) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted September 9, 2014 Author Share Posted September 9, 2014 Managed to get the 2 remaining eggs out from under Mum to candle them and one is pipping!! The other one looks a couple of days behind so at this rate she'll be hatching out eggs every 3 or so days and fingers crossed I can get the 5 in the incubator under her at day 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted September 24, 2014 Author Share Posted September 24, 2014 If anyone was interested just thought I'd let you know that I had a successful time introducing different aged chicks to my broody - she now has a little band of 6 babies, ranging from 2.5wks to a week old. I simply waited until it was dark and slipped the newly hatched chicks underneath her and by morning she had taken to them (had to do it 3 times in all) I'm lucky as she appears to be a fantastic Mummy, even thought she's a first timer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 concrates' on the intros. she looks like an easy going happy mom judging by the space she's giving the chicks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 Of course we're interested! Lovely pic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
