when to separate broody hen and her chicks

My hen will not stop protecting her 9 wk old son. She is boss still. When will they break their bond? She is also laying again and he sits with her while she does.

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JennyRed said:

My hen will not stop protecting her 9 wk old son. She is boss still. When will they break their bond? She is also laying again and he sits with her while she does.

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That's at the more extreme end of broody behavior, and not something I've had personal experience with. I would assume that he will break the bond more and more as he matures. I'm not sure it's anything to worry about unless she goes broody again and then favors the cockerel over her new chicks.

WalkingOnSunshine said:

That's at the more extreme end of broody behavior, and not something I've had personal experience with. I would assume that he will break the bond more and more as he matures. I'm not sure it's anything to worry about unless she goes broody again and then favors the cockerel over her new chicks.

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I have seen such and it does not bode well for second cohort of chicks if elder juvenile is still tolerated by hen. Juvenile, regardless of gender, is likely to pose a threat to newly hatched chicks. The threat can be more severe than simply pecking order issues.


Such behavior is not natural. With my games, the hen rejects her older juveniles at about the time she goes broody again. All is not lost for the older juveniles because in most cases they often have dad to hang with then and he does provide benefits. Window for rejection is in the 6 to 10 week period after hatch of first brood.

Somehow fostered American Dominique's and Dom x Game crosses are not rejected normally like pure game juveniles are by mother hen. With late season hatch broods the hen does not come back into lay and may associate with offspring for much longer periods ranging from 10 to 16 weeks. Several of my game hens have over half grown offspring with them now and the stags are crowing but do not try to cover females. Such arrangement clearly benefits juveniles when Coopers hawks are abundant since mother will drive hawk off. I have seem latter behavior many times and will find a way to film it on of these days.

I have a free ranging broody hen who gave birth to two chicks this week. One is a full yellow chick 3 days old, the yellow with black spots is 1 day old. We have several stray cats and a stray dog that enter our property, is it still suggested to let momma take the babies out of the coop/run at 7 days old?
Momma will not let us near or babies at all, she pecks at me when I fill the feed dish or if I get to close to her babies.

Any advice? Thanks