Broody with 4 week-old chicks submitting to rooster

[wild chick]

I have free range chickens and last year was my first experience with broodies and chicks. There were 2 hens that each raised a brood of 4 & 3 chicks. I never saw them squat for the rooster until about the time they abandon the chicks at around 7 weeks. Now I have a first time broody (from last years hatch) and I gave her 8 hatchery chicks at about 26 days of sitting on fake eggs. (I didn't want inbreds from the flock eggs). Today the chicks are 4 weeks old from their hatch day, they are integrating naturally, but always a respectable distance from the rooster and other hens. Today we had rain & they all piled into the barn with the whole flock. They all got really close and the rooster made advances and mama hen just squatted to the ground for him! The chicks were all over in the flock, and mama suddenly just forgot they existed - she went foraging in the compost pile while the chicks were 40 feet away and never clucked in concern. Later today it got dark early because of rain clouds and all the chicks were in the broody pen on the roosts and mama hen is way away just pecking and not clucking and not concerned. Is she going to abandon them too early? The other hens and rooster don't peck or chase them, so I think they are safe, but I'm just concerned that she was pretty flippant today about where they were and very little clucking to keep them together. Am I being too concerned? Do hens submit to roosters when they are still committed to chicks? She did get back with them and she's not kicking them out or anything. I do totally free range with super safe confinement at night. Thanks in advance!

 

[BullChick]

There is nothing wrong. The chicks don’t even need her anymore. The “8 week” thing is not as accurate as you believe.
As far as her submitting, if she’s ready, she’s ready.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sounds like she is getting ready to let them go. I don't think there is anything you can do about it

 

[wild chick]

OK, Thanks. Yup, a couple of hours after I let them out this morning, Black Caviar (mother hen) was out by herself scratching and pecking alone, not a chick in sight. I found them in the Coop on the roosts staring at the hens in the egg nests. There was one empty egg nest which thankfully they didn't get in - maybe too close to the grown up hens. Some were making the "I'm Lost" cry, but I just took a deep breath and left them to figure it out. I don't make pets of my chickens but I have a big heart for them. 4 weeks seems so young to not have a leader! I hope the other hens know/think they are too young to start pecking them into place! I'm thinking Black Caviar might nest with them a few more times at night? I'm sure the chicks will go to their nest box in the broody pen for a while, mother or no. Should I leave the broody pen door open so if they want to go to the Big Coop they can? Thanks for helping me learn that it's not unheard of to bail at 4 weeks.

 

[ChickyPants]

That is too bad but there is not much you can do besides to watch them very carefully. If they are getting picked on at any point, separate them. I would probably separate them anyways but if they are doing well in the coop it may not be needed.

 

[aart]

I'm thinking Black Caviar might nest with them a few more times at night? I'm sure the chicks will go to their nest box in the broody pen for a while, mother or no. Should I leave the broody pen door open so if they want to go to the Big Coop they can?

She might....or she might not.
Leave them to have access to everything they did when mama was still watching over them.

My last broody weaned at 4 weeks, she spent a couple nights with them, then stopped, she still hung out with them during parts of the days for another week or so. They'll be fine, she already showed them the 'ropes'.

 

[wild chick]

That's just what she's doing @aart - on and off with them during the day, but not clucking to them. Still sleeping in the broody nest with them. Broody pen door opens to the coop pen, which is open to the coop where the rest of the flock roosts, so mama is free to go roost when she wants, and in the morning they are all mingling together in the pen before I get out at 6:30 to open the door. Neither hens nor rooster venture into the broody pen, which I find interesting.

 

[aart]

She may have lost her 'broody cluck'....but she may be tid-bitting them in a different voice. Will be interesting to see where the chicks sleep when mama goes to roost. They may stay there or go to nests to sleep or follow mama to the roost.

 

[wild chick]

HA! She laid an egg today! I'm so grateful to be working at home/semi retired so I can see these things. Mother Nature comes first, always. Leaves us to ponder what's going on when it should be obvious.