Can 6.5 week old chicks live on their own in the winter (free range)?

[AzaleaMtnFarm]

I had a wonderful Mama hen who has been raising her second flock. She loves being a mama so much that she has been raising them in below freezing nights. BUT NOW SHE IS GONE. And there are six chicks left calling for her. They made it up into the coop on their own, but will they make it without her? We are in NC mountains, so the potential for below freezing in January is likely. . It shouldn’t get below freezing over next week. It was getting harder and harder for her to keep her chicks under her to keep them warm. (I did find a dead chick in the coop today). But aren’t the chicks big enough now to Generate their own heat?

We have her first flock of 9 and papa rooster. And one other mama hen with her own grown baby. We have a dog who has been great to keep the flock from predators. However, I have brought her in at night lately to snuggle with our new pup. That probably was a mistake..,

 

[centrarchid]

Assuming they are a standard breed with average or better and good feathering, they will be able to handle weather if they can get out of wind and rain / snow and on to dry ground at least when roosting. They will be more vulnerable to size selective predators like hawks and owls.

Hawks are bigger issues during fall and through winter when adult chickens face little or no risk. Usually you do not loose all at once so if one goes missing, then pen balance.

I have two groups of two. They are penned for most of day and released only for a short bit each evening. Dogs here too, but Coopers Hawk and Great-horned Owl can swipe such small chickens and fly immediately making dogs' job tougher.

 

[Mrs. K]

At 6.5 weeks, I would be surprised if she was really doing much for them. In my own experience, by that time mine would be roosting with the flock. And when I did likewise loose a broody hen, her chicks just came back to the coop and roosted that night with the others.

 

[Mach 1 Padilla]

Yes, but the weather and predators will kill off the weakest.

 

[bobbi-j]

If they are able to go into a cooo at night where they are safe from predators, they should be fine.

 

[50-45-1]

We have a dog who has been great to keep the flock from predators. However, I have brought her in at night

if your coop is left open all night and you are depending on the dog to keep the chickens safe. this is a bad plan.
something killed your broody hen. one of the chicks was dead in the morning.
6 week old chicks intigrating into flock with out mother to protect them from bullying anymore. Those chicks were accustomed to her body heat keeping them warm at night.
i think chicks that young definitely will need some help from you since there mother is suddenly gone. she probably died protecting her chicks from something.

 

[Ridgerunner]

During the heat of summer I have had two different broody hens wean their chicks at 3 weeks. Totally left them on their own to make their way with the flock. They did fine. Mama had spent three weeks teaching the others to leave her babies alone and I have lots of room. If yours were raised with the flock and not isolated off somewhere then they should be able to handle the social aspects at 6.5 weeks of age.

I've had 5.5 week olds go through nights in the mid 20's F with no issues. Yours are a week older and acclimated to cold temperatures. As long as they can stay dry and out of the wind they should be able to handle your temperatures.

Sounds like that broody hen was taken by a predator. Do you know why that chick died? It's hard to know for sure from here but it sounds to me that predators are your issue, not the other chickens or the weather.