Can much younger chicks be adopted by a hen that has already adopted month old chicks?

[Shadow-Kitty]

Okay, this is a really weird situation. I had my favorite hen go broody a couple months back and hatched out five chicks for her to raise June 14th. She's raised them perfectly. I kept her separated from the main flock because of the meat turkeys. They were put in the freezer 4 days ago. I put her and her chicks back in the pen. She lost interest in them quickly. That's when a second broody hen that got chased off her nest by a goose the same day took them in. She and the chicks have been sticking close since yesterday. They're sleeping under her right now. The first hen seems to have more or less forgotten about her chicks. So this hen was willing to adopt 5 one month old chicks. I now also have 3 two week old chicks in my gosling brooder. They were supposed to be given to a family friend's broody mama but she was taken out by a predator the day before they were supposed to hatch. So now I have 3 chicks in with 3 one month old goslings and it's getting pretty scary for them. I don't have anywhere else to pt them. It was supposed to be for only a day or two while everything was sorted out. That was over a week ago.

So my question is since this hen has already adopted chicks if she might also take in the 3 much younger chicks as well? She had no contact with these other 5 for the first month of their lives and still took them in without question. The chicks I think just accepted her because they think she's their mama. The two broody hens are the same barred conchin breed. I would let a different broody hen take them on but the only other broody bird I have is a goose and I don't think it would end well.

Thank you for your help. If it's really not a good idea I'll figure something else out. The goslings are probably old enough now and it's hot enough they could be moved outside full time.

 

[Yardmom]

My first thought is no, Hens often attack chicks that are not there own. Your case may be different. I have a hen that wants chicks all the time. Often taking over the chicks after the mothers ween. (She doesn't sit the whole 3 weeks when given eggs). Any way knowing your hen might be like mine Deli you could set them by her and see what happens.
Another option is take advantage of the summer temps. Make them their own little pen in the coop. 2 week old chicks can handle summer temps.

 

[Shadow-Kitty]

My first thought is no, Hens often attack chicks that are not there own. Your case may be different. I have a hen that wants chicks all the time. Often taking over the chicks after the mothers ween. (She doesn't sit the whole 3 weeks when given eggs). Any way knowing your hen might be like mine Deli you could set them by her and see what happens.
Another option is take advantage of the summer temps. Make them their own little pen in the coop. 2 week old chicks can handle summer temps.

I do actually have a small outdoor rodent playpen I was using to keep the first hen and her chicks separated. I could probably shuffle them inside a kitty carrier for nighttime inside the coop. And if she really wants them I'm sure she will find a way to take them.

 

[Shadow-Kitty]

I do actually have a small animal play pen I was using to keep the first hen and chicks separate from the flock. I could use that and use a kitty carrier to lock them up at night in the coop. If my adoptive hen really wants them I'm sure she will find a way to take them. It can't be much more dangerous than being with the goslings. They're not trying to hurt them, but they're much much bigger and I hear them squawk everytime a goose steps on them. I'll give it a try in the morning and see if she's interested while I'm at it.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You can certainly try. I've had 2 hens now thar have taken obviously different ages at the same clutch but different timings. One currently has 4 2 week old ducklings and shares another 9 5 day old ducklings with another 2 hens

 

[Shadow-Kitty]

You can certainly try. I've had 2 hens now thar have taken obviously different ages at the same clutch but different timings. One currently has 4 2 week old ducklings and shares another 9 5 day old ducklings with another 2 hens

Even if the absolute worse was to happen I could chalk it up to one more traumatic learning lesson to not do that again.

That being said I think I'll try setting up the animal play pen inside the chicken yard. They'll be surrounded by adult chickens but safe enough. If they're dumb enough to stick their heads between the bars to get pecked I'm chalking that one up to natural selection. It will also give the adoptive mama, her name is Chirp btw, a chance to see them. If she starts hanging around the fence all day and making distressed mama chicken noises I'll take that as a sign she wants them.