Broody hen taking chick

[p_parker]

Hi all,
So my silkie hens has been broody for the past week. She's been going broody every month now so last night I gave her a chick in their own confined space. She immediately accepted her and has been keeping her under to keep her warm and seemed to be pecking at a nearby food bowl to show the chick how to eat. However, she hasn't got up and moved around much and when the chick goes out from under her, she kinda ruffles around and seems to think she's still has more eggs to hatch. How long does it usually take before a hen decides to start walking about with the chick? I'm just worried that perhaps one chick wasn't enough to break her of her broodiness.

 

[K0k0shka]

They usually stay in the nest and keep the chicks under themselves for the first 2-3 days even after all the eggs have hatched, then they take them out of the nest for a short walk around, and by day 3-4 they are out of the coop and enjoying their space fully. It may vary a bit from hen to hen (how confident she feels, how she deals with the flock, etc.) but that's the general idea. Your situation sounds completely normal.

How old is the chick? When the hen finds a chick you placed under her, she thinks the chick is newly hatched, and her acceptance of it will trigger the new mom behaviors from the start, even if the chick is already several days old. The hen will treat it as a newly hatched chick and will want to keep it under herself and in the nest for a couple of days. This is why it's important to give hens only newly hatched chicks, the younger the better, because they grow fast and every day matters. If the chick is already 3+ days old, it's at an age where it's gonna want to walk around and explore. The hen will get frustrated trying to keep the chick under herself, and may inadvertently hurt the chick in her effort to peck/drag the chick back under. This may compromise their bonding, too. Older chicks may also miss the critical window to imprint on the hen and to want to follow her around. So it's important that the chick is as young as possible.

 

[Mill Chick]

Leave her for a couple of hours with the chick and see what happens and maybe take her off the nest? Take any other eggs (including fake ones) out from under her if she has any.

 

[p_parker]

They usually stay in the nest and keep the chicks under themselves for the first 2-3 days even after all the eggs have hatched, then they take them out of the nest for a short walk around, and by day 3-4 they are out of the coop and enjoying their space fully. It may vary a bit from hen to hen (how confident she feels, how she deals with the flock, etc.) but that's the general idea. Your situation sounds completely normal.

How old is the chick? When the hen finds a chick you placed under her, she thinks the chick is newly hatched, and her acceptance of it will trigger the new mom behaviors from the start, even if the chick is already several days old. The hen will treat it as a newly hatched chick and will want to keep it under herself and in the nest for a couple of days. This is why it's important to give hens only newly hatched chicks, the younger the better, because they grow fast and every day matters. If the chick is already 3+ days old, it's at an age where it's gonna want to walk around and explore. The hen will get frustrated trying to keep the chick under herself, and may inadvertently hurt the chick in her effort to peck/drag the chick back under. This may compromise their bonding, too. Older chicks may also miss the critical window to imprint on the hen and to want to follow her around. So it's important that the chick is as young as possible.

Ok, good to know it might be normal. The chick was 3 days old when introduced. It is a bit independent in that it already knew how to eat and drink however it still wants to be closer to her/be under her for warmth.

 

[EggistentialChickenRodeo]

What you described was our experience mid March! Our broody recieved 7 chicks and at 1st still seemed to be in a broody daze. My thoughts were uh oh - maybe she can just serve as a heater as the chicks were already finding food & water and then going back under her. By day 2 or 3 she came around and that Saturday they joined the flock in her care. They are now 4 weeks and I think she's trying to break free from her maternal responsibilities

Luckily Uncle is trying to help!

Hope your integration will go as smoothly and that chicks and flock are doing well!