Hi All,
I have day-old chicks arriving this week just as a black Cochin hen may be going broody. She's been lounging in the nest box most of the day, certainly long enough that all of the other hens just lay their eggs outside of the box and leave. She does leave the nest box to eat or if something strikes her fancy. I can reach under her for eggs, but she's not thrilled.
Has anyone had any luck placing chicks with a surrogate hen to raise?
If she's game, I'd love to let the Cochin hen keep the chicks warm instead of using a pen and heat lamp. How does one introduce chicks to a broody hen? Approx. how many chicks can a hen take care of? I realize that feather-footed breeds are not ideal since they can more easily step on chicks. There are four Ameracauna and four Danish Brown Leghorn, plus six Nankin bantams in the bunch. I think that the Nankins will be too small and will get smushed, so I plan to raise then in a pen under a light regardless. Would it be smarter to just raise all the chicks in the pen together?
The current coop is outside, it's enclosed inside a cyclone fence. It's 8'x4'x3' raised 2 feet off the floor, with wood on three sides, and screened with 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the fourth. There's a screen floor but I can put down a board to block the cold, and a thick layer of hay/pine shavings/dirt over the board. I'm in So. Cal. so it's been in the 50s at night and 70s during the day. I know that the little ones need to be kept warm and I'm guessing that the hen would do a good enough job keeping them warm? Would it be better to bring them all in where the temps are a little warmer and there's no breeze? I'd separate the other hens from the Cochin and the chicks.
Anything else I need to be aware of?
LQ in L.A.
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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