Broody momma calling it quits

Deltabwa

Songster
5 Years
Oct 30, 2016
261
117
171
Southeast Montana
I have 2 broodys, 1 with 2 chicks and 1 with 4. They are 4 1/2 weeks old. They each had their own coop, inside the run with the big coop. 2 days ago I finally put them all out with the rest of the flock. They were accepted and left alone. That night momma w/4 slept in her normal coop. Yesterday I noticed she basically left the babies alone almost all day. They only ventured out of the big run once and then stayed in the the rest of the day. Last night momma jump right into the main coop and left the babies to fend for themselves. I grabbed her and put her back in with the babies but I don't think that will last.

These babies don't seem as "feathered and big" as chicks I've raised without momma. It's a mix group, 1 was a hatch day special, so not sure what it is, but it's normal size. Even at 4 weeks tho, it seems so much smaller than the rest. The other 3 are a Sultan, Silkie bantam and a fun and funky egg we hatched, so not real sure what it is, but it's (size wise) between the hatch day special and bantam.

The question is, these guys aren't ready to be left alone in their little coop are they? What should I do with them as momma has quit them?
 
Of course they are ready to not sleep with momma. As they should be integrated with the flock I'd close off the small coop making the chicks can stay with the flock, go into their coop, so you don't have integration issues in the future. That's the beauty of broodies, they integrate the chicks for you. Don't let that window of opportunity to go by.
 
What is a "hatch day special"?

MPC has a hatch day special which would be anything, straight run, that they had "extra's" of that day. It's always a surprise and I haven't yet posted picks to see what it could be. I need to get some to do just that so I can stop calling it "hatch lol
 
Of course they are ready to not sleep with momma. As they should be integrated with the flock I'd close off the small coop making the chicks can stay with the flock, go into their coop, so you don't have integration issues in the future. That's the beauty of broodies, they integrate the chicks for you. Don't let that window of opportunity to go by.

Momma didn't try to take them into the big coop with her, the chicks all ran into their "home" while she went into the big coop. So do I just pick them up and put them in their at night? Being little guys, and not feathered out, I'm not sure if they can get into the big coop alone. lol it's a big ladder
 
It may take up to a week of putting them in there at night. They will see the older birds walk up and mimic, shouldn't take that long for them to get the hang of it. Big thing is to close the other coop door and not allow them access to it.
 
As long as it isn't getting cold at night where you are, I would wager that they are all set to sleep on their own. Sounds like the broody knows what she is doing. If you aren't having any integration issues, I would definitely take this opportunity and keep them in the big coop. (I am dealing with integration issues and it is absolutely awful.) Also, don't be surprised if once they get up on the roost they continue to try sleeping under mama... it is quite a funny sight! Good luck!
 
As long as it isn't getting cold at night where you are, I would wager that they are all set to sleep on their own. Sounds like the broody knows what she is doing. If you aren't having any integration issues, I would definitely take this opportunity and keep them in the big coop. (I am dealing with integration issues and it is absolutely awful.) Also, don't be surprised if once they get up on the roost they continue to try sleeping under mama... it is quite a funny sight! Good luck!

thanks. That's kind of why I was concerned about not being fully feathered, they do still sleep under momma and it doesn't get cold-cold but it can get to 40's at night.
 
Yup, just to add to this.. Broody mom's leave their chicks at varying ages. I've had about 15 different mother hens and it just depends on the mom and the chicks. The average age is around 5 weeks tho so your chicks are right in that normal range when the mom left them.

The chicks sometimes fight to stay with the mom and she sort of runs them off a bit but they quickly learn to be on their own and they then band together as a little group of their own. Depending on what the mother taught them, they may have to learn to get up on the roost on their own or they may crowd together on the floor in a dark corner to sleep.

But the long and the short of it is it all works out. Just make sure they have access to a safe place to sleep (where predators cant get them) and if they try to sleep somewhere inappropriate, just move them to where you want them.

They will learn and over time, find their way to fitting into the flock.

Hope this helps,
Guppy
 

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