Broody losing interest in chicks?

[rkinley]

I have 2 broodys that hatched 3 eggs each. The chicks are about a week & 1/2 old and doing great.

Both moms are attentive and seem to be co-parenting well. They are separate from the flock but only by a gate and chicken wire/hardware cloth fence.

One broody has a darker comb than the other as of this time, but they are both healthy otherwise.

Dark comb has been jumping over the fence and hanging out along the fence line. She stays out, then gets stressed and tries to get back in. Like she forgot how she got out or something. This has happened 3 days in a row.

The first day I physically put her back in. The second and third day, I opened the gate and she went back in. Tonight, she stood on the ramp to the brooder "coop" like she wasnt sure what to do. I shooed her in and she is settled now.

She seems caught in the middle between wanting to be done and still wanting to mother the babies.

What if anything should I do?

 

[WhiteWyan]

You could try to stop her from jumping out?

 

[chickens really]

Add all the Birds together. She is wanting to Introduce the Chicks to the flock. Mine all go back with Momma at 3 to 5 days old..

 

[RWise]

I too would let them back into the flock. My hens have them in the flock at 2-3 days old (even with snow on the ground). A good hen will protect them, a good rooster will feed them (mine does, but they are out with no hen), they are both proud of them. The chicks will learn fast who to avoid (like my 8YO hen), and who they can be near without getting pecked.

 

[rkinley]

Ok, had to do some fence fixing but they came out. Other hens showed varying degrees of interest but no violence.

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

YAY! Glad integration is going well! Mama hen was trying to get her babies to come with her, poor dear!