When do chicks "leave the nest"?

[Aloha Moa]

I have a flock of jungle hens and one rooster, and two of the hens have hatched chicks. One batch of chicks is about 6 weeks old, the other batch are 4 weeks old. The chicks are all still following their respective mother around. When will they stop this behavior, and start being independent?

The entire flock is completely free-range, by the way, have been their whole lives, they just come to us for chicken scratch.

 

[bayouchica]

Hi there, usually after a couple of months or so mama hen will seperate herself from them. That's been my experience so far.
My chickens free range during the day but I lock them up at night.
Although, I had a Buff Orp hen that only had 2 chics to raise & they followed her around till they were 4 months old.
Have you posted pics of them yet,I'd love to see them

Miriam

 

[Aloha Moa]

Here's the rooster, the second mother hen and a few of her chicks in the background. The white hen is now sitting on eggs. So she'll be his third in 2 months to hatch chicks. He's quite the cock of the roost! (This is our backyard). I need to get updated pix of the chicks since they're getting so big.

Interestingly enough, this second hen is dominant over the first hen. She chases all the other hens and chicks away.

I have no idea what breed this rooster is derived from, but many of the wild cocks here look like him.

 

[bayouchica]

WOW !! what a beautiful place & chickens

My hubby & I dream of retiring in Hawaii

So cool in see those chickens running wild.

Thanks so much for sharing,please post some more pics when ya can.


Miriam

 

[Aloha Moa]

This is hen #2 with a few of her chicks. I couldn't get any better pix because the broody hen came running over and chased them away.

 

[Aloha Moa]

This is several seconds after the last picture, broody hen number 3!
Still looking for her nest - I want EGGS not chicks!

 

[bayouchica]

How cool !! What lucky chickens. I bet their eggs are good to eat.

Do you have alot of chickens around where you live?
You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

Have a good evening, Miriam

 

[Aloha Moa]

Our house is for sale, by the way

One acre of Hawaii, cedar A-frame, 3 bdrm/2bath, with complete privacy (no neighbors) AND comes with countless healthy chickens! All for $350,000.

 

[bayouchica]

Man that's cheep land over there,

That's unreal...geesh we've got 5 acres on the water worth about 40,000 out in the boonies...

Thanks for sharing the pics,have a good one,
Miriam

 

[samara]

Where on Hawaii do you live? We were on Oahu in January, and my sis-in-law lives in Honolulu. It is surprising how many chickens are there, running wild! Very cute to be at the beach and see a mom with her little peeps following her around!

Samara