is it too late to try get her to adopt?

[sherpa]

I have 6 chicks with no mammy, but have been doing well, they are nearly 2 weeks old now. I have another sitting hen which is due to hatch today, but no sign, no peeping. So sad, I may have now; a mammy with no babies and babies with no mammy.
Are my chicks too old now to try and make her adopt them if she is left chickless?

[Bramble-Poultry]

its very hard to tell as each bird is different as they all have their own personal levels of "broodiness".

At two weeks they might be just that bit too big to convince her that they came out of her eggs.

If she is sat on eggs currently - when are they due to hatch out? I know that they are supposed to pip at 21 days, but we have had a bout of cold wet weather so they may take a day longer, and i would always give them and extra couple of days after the due date to ensure i caught up with any late arrivals.

If you do decide that all her eggs are dud and that you wish to try and introduce the new chicks to her, it is best to introduce them to her at night when she has cuddled down for the night and when you do introduce the chicks, take them to her, one by one and push them under her from the back so she cant see what you are doing. if she sees you there is a chance that she will work out what you are doing and then you run the risk of her rejecting them.

then, first thing in the morning go to her and see if she has taken to them. If not, then get them out and back into the brooder or wherever you are currently keeping them.
If she does reject them, you run the risk of her harming them as she still may be defensive over her old eggs and she will viscously defend the eggs against any intruders - including fluffy cute ones!

Let us know how you get on

[Nicos]

don't give up on the other chicks yet!!!!!

Adopting???....well when my mommy decided not to sleep with her babies- about 7 weeks- one of the other hens moved in and snuggled them at night for a week.
Who knows- worth a try, but if your gal's eggs do hatch, you don't want the older babies in with the tiny ones- they squash very easily!!!

[elizajay]

My chicks were 6 weeks old when the fox got their mother and they adopted another hen. She had never been remotely broody, but took to them. I rehomed some, but kept one and she is bigger than "Mummy" but still tries to get under her wing at night. I have another single baby hatched later with a broody and 6 eggs in the incubator due to hatch in 2 weeks time. I am not at all sure what I will do with them as neither hen is likely to want more babies. I thought I might house them separately but within sight when they are off heat and hopefully the little flock will accept them.

[sherpa]

Patience is a virtue!! This morning I popped into my mother hen and 3 little heads popping out from under her. How happy I was to see them, nothing like a mother hen and chicks. 2 eggs still not pipped. It's funny that the rain delayed them. I've never had a clutch late in hatching?

[Nicos]

Brill news...bet you're glad you waited now!

[di]

Congrats to you & Mummy hen both!!!