Can I take wk old's away from momma?

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

We can't keep all there fuzzy butts

but I don't know anything about when to hand them over? I friend of mine is getting her broader ready for them but for 1) I feel bad about taking them for momma just yet...and 2) IDk..I guess I'm double worried about #1.

Also, since they were hatched under my momma...well, i think I'm giving her possibly 4 Roo boys! I "know" it's early to tell but....Idk...they are convincing me more and more each day...looks, feathering, demeanor (1 liked to attack me...at 4 days old.

) LOL. I just don't know what to tell her...she doesn't have chickens yet so I'm thinking obviously she's going to probably have to re-home the roo's. I mean, who has 4 roo's. My ONE girl I MIGHT keep but that's a question for another thread.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

You can take them away at one day old, so yes, one week is ok.

Don't worry, mamma won't fret for long!

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

thanks! I just feel so bad for her!!! lol...I think its MY personal problem of getting rid of them

 

[rearrolled]

i no i hafto get rid of myn iv got to many just had white cochins hatch

and silkys

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I'd be more concerned for your friend than your hen. If these are to be her first chickens she needs to be fully aware of the issues of starting with straight-run chicks, and the possibility of having them all be roosters, and the issues that would bring. She needs to know before she gets deeply attatched to them and gives them all girly names and knits them each a Christmas stocking. If she's willing to take the risk then give her the chicks now, the hen won't miss them for long.

Otherwise, wait a few weeks or more, it will become more apparant as they grow which ones will be the roosters. The chicks will only benefit from being with their mama. She will be ready to leave them long before they're grown. It will be easier then to give away/sell the pullets. What are your plans for the cockerels?

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

No, I'm fully aware and have talked to her about it...I think its just going to be a touch and go thing until we know FOR sure...that's why I feel bad though...that she can't "bond" with them now...and honestly, i'm just going to have to craigslist them if there boys b/c we can't keep them and she can only keep 1! I just hate having to wait and see...I like to have a plan. LOL

 

[Mama2B&D&...Chickens]

Oh and she's definetly not the knitting type

 

[speckledhen]

You know, I did that once. Took my Glenda's babies away at a week old. I swear, I'll never do that again. She was so pitiful. For two months, when the flock free ranged, she'd go back to the pen where she last saw them and look in every corner for those babies. It was heartwrenching. I did it because people kept saying the hen would be back to normal the same day, but it was definitely NOT the case. Glenda was such a great mama and the next time, I let her keep them till she got sick of them on her own. We lost her last year and I miss her a ton. Glenda was a Blue Orp/Buff Brahma cross.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Awww, poor Glenda. A good Mama hen is a treasure, Speckledhen, I'm sure you miss her. It seems that each hen has her own component of broody & mothering skills, some are just more attentive than others. I've had hens that hop the fence to go back to the adult flock after only 2-3 weeks with their chicks. Others will stay for 10 weeks or more.

I wouldn't take a hen's chicks from her before she was ready to leave them because they do such a great job of tending to the chicks themselves. Why do the work when you have an animal ready & willing to do it for you?

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, Glenda was a treasure. On the other hand, my blue Orp hen, Dusty, will not be allowed to raise babies again. She's done it twice. Each time when her "switch" clicked off, she tried to kill the chicks. I don't mean chase them away, but hunted them down to try and kill them. The first time, the chicks were 3 weeks old. The second time, she didn't try to do them in until they were 5 weeks old. Both times, I was standing there and was able to rescue the babies, who were traumatized. She's a great mom...until she's not. With Dusty, I'd have to take her babies away at about three weeks old or risk not being there when she became a homicidal mama.