broody hen question -- is she done?

williamsl77

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So my 7 month old hen hatched out 9 eggs. The chicks are about 4 weeks old now. It seems she has stopped mothering them as far as I can tell over the last few days. I don't see her spending time with them. She used to stay with the chicks instead of going out to free range with the other birds. Now she goes out to free range. She is also now sleeping on the roost again, although not with the other birds. The chicks are mostly feathered out. I have been keeping a heat lamp in the coop to keep the temperature up just a bit, but it still gets into the 50s at night. I have been making sure there is chick food available for them (even though the bigger birds eat it, too).

So... is she done mothering them now? I thought they stayed with the babies a little longer than four weeks. She has already started laying eggs again and is even laying them under my house where she laid her first clutch before we moved them. Is she trying to go broody again? This is my first broody, so would love thoughts on this. Also, wonder if I should move the chicks to somewhere warmer since she seems to be done???

Thanks!!
 

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