I have an odd situation. I have an Araucana pullet that was sitting on eggs - the remaining 2 (originally 4, two broke) are due to hatch tomorrow or Thursday. Over the weekend I moved her to the "maternity ward", well not really moved her, just took an existing barrier in the coop and moved it down to where she was blocked off from the rest of the flock. Already in the sectioned off part of the coop is another Araucana pullet that has a 3 week old chick. This is where my broody was going to raise her chicks, with her sister whom already has a chick.
Saturday, she did not get off the nest. Sunday she got off to do her poop, eat, dust bathe routine and when she saw her sister's chick, it was like she said to herself "OH A BABY!!! I"LL JUST TAKE THIS ONE!" and she "chick-napped" the chick from her sister and would not go back to her eggs. I tried putting her back on the nest, that lasted 15 minutes, tried locking her in the coop, she paced the door. So I fired up the incubator and brought her two remaining eggs inside. Said broody is now co-parenting (though she seems to have more involvement with the chick than its mother) the chick with her sister. I was going to give the chicks back to her when they hatch, but I got to thinking, "Will she care for them properly since she has this older chick?" I'm afraid she will try to bring them out of the coop right away and/or not do things with new hatchlings she should do. Should I just brood these chicks myself (I really don't want to) or give them back to her?
Saturday, she did not get off the nest. Sunday she got off to do her poop, eat, dust bathe routine and when she saw her sister's chick, it was like she said to herself "OH A BABY!!! I"LL JUST TAKE THIS ONE!" and she "chick-napped" the chick from her sister and would not go back to her eggs. I tried putting her back on the nest, that lasted 15 minutes, tried locking her in the coop, she paced the door. So I fired up the incubator and brought her two remaining eggs inside. Said broody is now co-parenting (though she seems to have more involvement with the chick than its mother) the chick with her sister. I was going to give the chicks back to her when they hatch, but I got to thinking, "Will she care for them properly since she has this older chick?" I'm afraid she will try to bring them out of the coop right away and/or not do things with new hatchlings she should do. Should I just brood these chicks myself (I really don't want to) or give them back to her?
Hens definitely steal Chicks and that's because they have the hormones to care for them. Separate pens during brooding and hatching are needed.
