Broody weaning her chicks early...

[mountainchickens]

Hi everybody! Last night our broody mom hen, who has 3 adopted chicks, started ignoring them. They should be about 3 weeks old now, and she adopted them when they were around 10 days old. They have been raised with the rest of our flock (3 seven month old hens and a roo) and the rest of the flock now accepts them and doesn't bully or pick on them. However, yesterday their mom began ignoring them, not calling them to her, not herding them towards her chosen spot, not doing most of the things she's been doing in being a good mom. And then last night, she ignored them to the extent of going up on the roosts to sleep while the chicks stayed in the nesting box. They know how to roost, but they won't do it for the night unless mom calls them up, which she isn't. They've slept in the nesting box for all of their lives. The roost is only used by them in the daytime for playing on.
I'm not worried about heat; it's getting pretty warm here and they seem fine without her. Just a little lost and lonely. I've read they should wean them around five weeks at the earliest. Is this true? Will the chicks be alright? Is it normal for her to wean them at three weeks?
Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

Will the chicks be alright?

Obviously, the former broody hen thinks so. She knows best. The chicks will be fine.

If you don't want them pooping in the nest boxes, you can provide a huddle box for them and cover the nest boxes after everyone has laid for the day then uncover it well after dark so it is available first thing in the morning.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Although mine usually wean around 6 weeks, I've had some do it earlier or later. They will be fine, though, plenty of chicks getting along with no mother from day one.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had two different hens wean their chicks at three weeks. It is unusual but it happens. Both times the weather was warm and the chicks had been raised with the flock. Both times the chicks were fine.

One of those broody hens a was my only green egg layer at the time. She went back to laying at 2-1/2 weeks, three or four days before she weaned her chicks. There was no mistaking her egg. I went down there and saw the chicks running around, peeping and all confused. I thought a fox or dog had taken the hen. But no, she just went on the nest and didn't bring them in with her. When she came off the nest after laying the egg she called the chicks to her and mothered them, at least for a few more days except when she was laying her egg.

I had a broody hen take her chicks to the roosts at two weeks. The broody hen called for them to join her and they did.

People will tell you that a hen going back to laying within 2-1/2 weeks of hatching her chicks or taking 2 week old chicks to the roost isn't normal. I'll even tell you that. But just because something is not normal doesn't mean it won't happen. This kind of stuff is part of what makes chicken TV better than anything on cable or antenna.

 

[mountainchickens]

Thank you! It's good to hear that they'll be okay. And the huddle box is a great idea, we might try that! The chicks were up on the roost around 2.5 weeks, even without mom right there - she jumped up, clucked to them, they jumped up, and then she jumped down and watched them! Anyways, thanks everyone again!