Cochin mama and her chicks

[leasmom]

These chicks are a few weeks old. They are cochin/silkie mixes. Should I separate them from their mom? Right now they're all grouped up together around her and they stay in this one corner. Should I put her with my older ones?

 

[asher]

At a few weeks old, I would keep them with their mama. I wouldn't think of seperating them until 5 weeks or she deems them ready to be without her, whichever comes first unless you plan to brood them yourself with a light, etc.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

I have one (yeah, just one, sadly) chick that was hatched out from a hen. (I had two, one died at 4 weeks old). I tried to seperate them at about 5 weeks, and they cried for each other so badly, I put him back.

I figure I'll just wait until they are ready to seperate - he still sleeps underneath her at night, although, now she is sitting back up on the perch the last couple of nights, and the chicks flies up and sits under her, LOL. It looks pretty funny.

Today she was in the nest box, laying an egg and ... yep, the chick was right in there, too, squeaking and chirping away the entire time. He wasn't under her, just kept climbing all over the top of her, tryign to figure out how to get under her. Methinks I have a "mama's boy" on my hands.

I'd just let them decide, if that is possible with your coop set-up. I expect eventually they'll wander different ways and you can move the chicks without so much trauma.

ETA -- I just got the pics to load (kid is eating the bandwidth) do you have them in a brooder cage still? You can probably turn them out with the rest of the flock - all together. The mama will protect them (BOY will she!! the expression "Mother Hen" is so often said for a reason, LOL.) I let mine out of the brooder cage when the chicks were a couple of weeks old. I just opened the door and let Them decide when to take the chicks out.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[asher]

Okay, I take back what I said now that I see the pics. They look way older than "a few weeks" old. I'd seperate them now. They look very crowded, but you said they all stay in one corner so I'm sure that's it.

 

[leasmom]

Yeah, they have enough room for about 10 full sized chickens but they just stay in that corner. I don't know why. We've even moved the food and water closer to them because they barely move around. The ones down at the bottom are walking around and enjoying the bottom run etc. but these chicks stay connected to the mom who just stays in that one corner, we've checked, theres no egg beneath her. The little ones are too little to go at the bottom...we had three escape and we only got two back. But, the mom I'm wondering if they could be separated from her now because they won't go far from her. She's laid 2 eggs since Saturday when we got them...all on Monday, she hasn't laid since but I was told that happens with Cochins, but I am just wondering if she were separated, would they start exploring their area and start being more independent.

 

[leasmom]

Okay, I moved the mama who was sitting on an unfertilized egg down with the other older chickens and as soon as we moved her the babies rushed over to the food and started eating. The mom too started eating at the bottom. I think it was a good move.