Broody hen abandons chicks after 3 weeks?

[heybarb]

One of our Easter Egger hens decided to sit on eggs, so we obliged and gave her 6 eggs to hatch. Four of the 6 hatched on June 5, so the chicks are now a little over 3 weeks old - not fully feathered. She was a good mama, protecting them, catching bugs and food for them, etc. Then on Sunday night, I noticed that she did not go to bed with them, but jumped up on the roost, while they huddled together in the corner of a rabbit hutch where they had been sleeping with her. Yesterday, she totally ignored them and today she laid an egg. All our other mama hens stuck with their babies for 4-6 weeks...Is this normal? I'm in NC, so it's been in the 80's & 90's during the day and in the 60's at night.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Its fairly normal. Mother hens aren't all made the same, and some ditch their chicks sooner than others. My last broodies kicked their chicks off about the same age, 3 weeks or so, and in chillier temps than you're having. I left them where they were and they've been fine ever since

 

[heybarb]

Thanks! I was a little worried about them, but they do seem to be fine and I'm definitely glad they have a small group of chicks to hang out with.