Will Silkies take care of chicks even when they aren't broody?

[Lynette]

One of my chickens hatched out 13 eggs yesterday. Last night I helped her get all of her babies around so she could sit on all of them, but when I went back out a while later, they were peeping really loud. When I looked in the coop they were on the floor and she was sitting up on her roost. I took them out because I didn't want them to freeze to death. They are in the house with a heat lamp. I don't want to raise them in the house because it will be December before they go out and I have never tried getting chicks ready for such cold temps. I have a couple of silkies and I was wondering if I could give the babies to them to raise for me? Or should I give them back to their mother. The only bad thing with her is she is pretty wild acting and I don't want them to be like that.

 

[Cheyen]

You can't make a chicken go broody, so the likelihood of your silkie hen rearing the chicks is slim. You could try bringing their mother inside (if you don't mind a chicken in your house) to see if she'll sit on them since there's no roost. If she was willing to hatch the eggs, I don't see why she wouldn't be willing to raise what comes out of them.

 

[Lynette]

I tried to catch their mother to put them in a different area, but she is very hard to catch. Would it be possible to keep them in the house for a few days and give them back to her once they are alittle stronger? Will she still accept them?

 

[16 paws]

I tried to catch their mother to put them in a different area, but she is very hard to catch. Would it be possible to keep them in the house for a few days and give them back to her once they are alittle stronger? Will she still accept them?

I set up a dog crate in the coop and put mama and the babies in there. The rest of the flock could still see them but she had to be close to them. Can you try that? Lure her in there with some yummy treats.....
marie

 

[jammyjammy2112]

One of my chickens hatched out 13 eggs yesterday. Last night I helped her get all of her babies around so she could sit on all of them, but when I went back out a while later, they were peeping really loud. When I looked in the coop they were on the floor and she was sitting up on her roost. I took them out because I didn't want them to freeze to death. They are in the house with a heat lamp. I don't want to raise them in the house because it will be December before they go out and I have never tried getting chicks ready for such cold temps. I have a couple of silkies and I was wondering if I could give the babies to them to raise for me? Or should I give them back to their mother. The only bad thing with her is she is pretty wild acting and I don't want them to be like that.

id put the chicks with the mother and separete them where theres no pierceand an easy to rech nest box if thats possible. its possible that they will be wild like ethere mother but if you tame them they should be fine

 

[Lynette]

Well, I did put the babies back with their mother yesterday and checked on them last night and she did keep them warm. I went out this morning and everything was still going good with them. I could hear loud peeping alittle while ago and went out to see why. I looked in the coop and realized that the hen was dead. Some of the babies were still under her cold body trying to keep warm while the others were standing around shivering. Why did she die?! Did she have too many babies to care for and she couldn't handle it? They are now back in the house getting warmed up with my heat lamp. I guess I will be raising them after all. I just don't understand why she died.....

 

[sepaditty1]

Oh my! That's awful! And strange. Any sign of attack, or do you think it was a sickness?

At least the babies are ok.

 

[Cheyen]

Oh, that's horrible! Sorry for your loss... Was she getting enough to eat and drink while she was sitting on her eggs? Sometimes a hen will be so engaged with her motherly duties, she'll forget to take care of herself.

 

[16 paws]

I am so sorry to hear that. That must of been awful to see. Hope things get better, it is so hard to lose them even when you know what happened. I wonder if she was eating and drinking enough. When my bo was broody I was worried about her because her comb looked so pale and awful. I used to take food to her because I know she wasnt getting off the nest enough. Sorry about your loss.