Adoption Experiment

[Deleted]

I had 3 day old 25 Buckeyes, straight run, and a "bonus" chick in garage with heat lamp etc. Meanwhile, back in the coop I had only one hatch from 2 hens on about 8 eggs each, even after 3½ and 3 weeks. SO, tonight I put about 6 fluff balls under each Buff Orpington. I changed their light to a heat lamp & put chick feeder in. They seemed to be OK 15 min later, all under mommas. I hope it takes because I can't help but think that our mom raised hens have an advantage. There are now 12 or so in garage - maybe sneak those in tomorrow?

Also, Lesson learned to mark eggs so I know which the original batch or right after probably versus which are so new from other hens that I should take them out to use.

[Deleted]

Apr 16, 2015 6:46:53 GMT @home2stay said:

I had 3 day old 25 Buckeyes, straight run, and a "bonus" chick in garage with heat lamp etc. Meanwhile, back in the coop I had only one hatch from 2 hens on about 8 eggs each, even after 3½ and 3 weeks. SO, tonight I put about 6 fluff balls under each Buff Orpington. I changed their light to a heat lamp & put chick feeder in. They seemed to be OK 15 min later, all under mommas. I hope it takes because I can't help but think that our mom raised hens have an advantage. There are now 12 or so in garage - maybe sneak those in tomorrow?

Also, Lesson learned to mark eggs so I know which the original batch or right after probably versus which are so new from other hens that I should take them out to use.

Good Luck with your experiment----some hens/chicks do ok with this----some hens peck the chicks to death---so watch them closely. As far as Marking set eggs-------You can Bet I would Never set a broody with unmarked eggs-----plus 2/3 days after she is set--- "I" always move her/them to a private pen so she is not bothered. I set 33 broodies last season. Good Luck

[Deleted]

Thank you for the advice. I now have all the chicks under the 2 hens but what a project. Marking eggs & moving them are lessons learned & advice taken for next time. 33 is amazing - lots of work.

[horseyrider]

A friend of mine is going through this. Even though the hen decided to steal all the eggs she could, she only hatched out one. My friend felt sorry for her to have several dead ones, so she went to Rural King and picked up a few more. This Australorp hen accepted the Australorp babies just fine, but not the Buff Orpingtons! She growls at them and gives them little pecks. My friend can put the babies under her from behind and the hen is fine with that; but the babies won't come back after they leave her.

I'm thinking she's going to have to turn on the heat lamp.

[bergere]

Tried that last year... chicks got eaten by the other hens. Hens sat on the eggs, and the minute they hatched out....

Never had that problem using Bantams as my broodies, been raising chickens for 21 years... figured I would use broody big hens. That's didn't work.

Think I moved out all the hens that ate chicks. Few Speckled Sussex and a few Buff Orpingtons. Never going to trust them as broodies again.

Have a Blue Copper Maran, I moved to the bantam house, she is sitting on 12 bantam eggs. I did not have her last year, so keeping my fingers crossed.

So you have about a 50/50 chance, things will go well. Seems like many of the brown egg layers now a days, aren't good mothers. Let us know how it goes.

[Deleted]

So far so good - Day 3. One was crushed in the pile up under one of the moms last night but otherwise good. I did spend time sitting on a bale in coop several times each day just checking in. During day I have the rooster & 3rd hen out in the run to reduce stress for moms & babies.

[Deleted]

A few years ago, I had a horrible mess. I had 4 barred rocks set in the same area. I will never let that happen again. I ended up having 19 chicks hatch from the 4 and they all mothered the babies. It was cute seeing the 4 mama hens and all those babies working the lawn. Even though it did turn out pretty good, I will never let that happen again. I also learned to always mark the eggs.

[Bear Foot Farm]

If you have some 2 X 4 wire fencing, you can set up a "creep feeder" that will allow the chicks to access the starter feed while keeping the older birds out

[farmchix]

I agree--good luck. Once they start eating eggs/shells, they won't stop. Will be curious to follow your progress.

[Deleted]

I guess God really does love fools! My experiment is working out well. Some excitement - I got home late last night to find about a dozen chicks had slid out of the coop through a crack. Hens couldn't get out of the locked coop to round them up of course. The rooster was perched on the fence literally watching over the babies and my Aussie had them herded next to wall. Nice teamwork but I imagined them saying "when will that woman get her chicken-act together?"

[Deleted]

Well, the chicks from my experiment worked out great! (I put the Buckeye chicks mailed from a hatchery under to BO hens who had only hatched one baby). They have been a big happy family, thank goodness. I know it could have gone the other way too. It's been wonderful seeing the mothers fluff feathers to shelter 12 or 13 chicks, peck at me to protect them, or steer them around the chicken run. As suggested, next year I will mark the eggs (so obvious in retrospect) & have the creeper fence for the chicks to get their food while keeping the adults out. Thank you HFers!

[amylou]

Do you move the broody to a separate area so she won't try to hatch every egg laid?

[bergere]

I move my broodies to a different area, so as the chicks hatch, the other hens don't eat them.