There are two methods that MAY work... although they are risky with that much difference in age between the chicks. Still, I successfully added a couple of chicks that were about five days younger than the others using what I like to call the "two for one" method. A kid thought this one up and his mother posted it on the forum a long time ago. One bright kid!

Put the two orphaned chicks in a bucket (not a clear one) or similar container. Kidnap the hen's current babies and add them to the bucket. (A butterfly net works great for catching them.) The stolen chicks will set up a frantic peeping once they cannot see Mama... and Mama will fuss and scold and generally work herself up into a tizzy. The more upset she is, the better. When you get to the point when it looks like Mama's eyeballs will pop out of her head, lower the bucket and let out all four chicks. Typically Mama will be confused and know something is different, but will not be able to figure out what, since hens cannot count. And she is so relieved to have her babies back that she doesn't much care and accepts them all. But be ready to pull the younger chicks out if she starts hurting them.

I've done this a few times and never had it fail. Hens are birdbrains. I THINK they can tell the difference between "one" and "more than one"... but not the difference between two and three or four. The more the chicks look alike, the better chance of success.

The other method is the tried and true "wait until dark" method. You simply sneak them under her with her own when she is asleep and she assumes they are all hers when she wakes up. If it doesn't work, however, she may harm or kill the newcomers unless you are on the spot early to check on them.

Forget the Vicks or other scent confusers. Chickens don't use scent to identify their young. They rely on sound and sight and situation. "They are under my wings so they must be mine."

Good luck! And please post an update so we know how it turns out!

The under the wing, they must be mine thing has always worked for me...I agree...let us know.

What maggie said....if it doesn't work, try slipping the babies in under her at night, in the dark. That way when she wakes up they'll be there.

Whatever method you use, WATCH HER. If she tries to kill those chicks, just resign yourself to being a mama hen and raise them in a brooder box. It won't be long before you can turn them all out together as youngsters.

Forget the Vicks thing--that stuff will only mat down their feathers and allow them to get chilled, with can be fatal, or they can ingest it, which can also kill.

She's only following nature and thinks there is another mama hen around, waiting to attack her if she takes her chicks.

Velvet ~:>

Bumping this up because I want to know what happened!