chicksandchores
Songster
I had a hen hatch out six chicks, and I wanted a couple more white egg layers (my entire laying flock right now are brown egg layers) so I got her four little Cali whites to go with her six youngins.
I had read that I would have to wait until night, and do it oh so carefully, but I can’t pull anything on this ol hen. She sees all. So I decided instead of having to set up a brooder area for a few hours, I’d try something I came up with.
I took the chicks outside with me and got one of hers from under her. I turned away to the side so she couldn’t see that I was getting a different chick from somewhere, and I sat both her chick and one Cali white right down in front of her. Since she knew I had at least one chick, she thought nothing of it. So I grabbed another one of her chicks and set two down with it, then another and the last one. She accepted all four without them being pushed under her at all, and being sat straight in front of her because she thought I was just giving her the chicks I had taken back!
I just thought I’d share. Other breeds may be different, or it may vary with the hen; my Nala is a buff Orpington and a very good momma hen. Other breeds may not be so willing to take them, or it may fool all of them!
Babies needed a little push up under her to realize that’s where they needed to be, as they were at least two or three days old based on the length of the feathers on their wings, but in the end all were happy and she’s happily raising them.
I had read that I would have to wait until night, and do it oh so carefully, but I can’t pull anything on this ol hen. She sees all. So I decided instead of having to set up a brooder area for a few hours, I’d try something I came up with.
I took the chicks outside with me and got one of hers from under her. I turned away to the side so she couldn’t see that I was getting a different chick from somewhere, and I sat both her chick and one Cali white right down in front of her. Since she knew I had at least one chick, she thought nothing of it. So I grabbed another one of her chicks and set two down with it, then another and the last one. She accepted all four without them being pushed under her at all, and being sat straight in front of her because she thought I was just giving her the chicks I had taken back!
I just thought I’d share. Other breeds may be different, or it may vary with the hen; my Nala is a buff Orpington and a very good momma hen. Other breeds may not be so willing to take them, or it may fool all of them!
Babies needed a little push up under her to realize that’s where they needed to be, as they were at least two or three days old based on the length of the feathers on their wings, but in the end all were happy and she’s happily raising them.
