Do you think they’ll survive the night?

[Farmin Armen]

Ten chicks that are three weeks old (incubated and hatched), was in a brooder, took them out and tucked them under a broody orp. Think they’ll take to each other by morning?

 

[treeoflife5785chickens]

This is my first time raising chicks, and do not have full grown chickens, but responding because I have read that to let a broody hen follow her dreams and become a mama, most recommended tricking the hen by putting an egg under her and then sneaking the chick under her a couple days later. Chickens have been known to adopt even baby ducklings as their own, so it depends on your hen really. I would watch them throughout the night, or wait until morning to monitor their behaviors towards one another first before just sticking them in there and hoping for the best. You went through all the trouble of incubating, so that is just what I would do.

 

[Farmin Armen]

Thanks for the advice. Yea, we waiting almost impatiently for three weeks for them to hatch. However, they seem to be happy. I’ll keep an eye on them. I stay up late anyway and will coach broody, if that were possible.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

I would be very hesitant to do that. From my knowledge giving broody hens chicks can be very tricky and should only be done with chicks that are 1-3 days old (roughly). If it were my chicks I would take them back immediately and brood them myself the last few weeks. She could turn on them and kill them (not saying she will but there’s no telling).