HELP! When do broodies leave babys?

[LindseyM12]

I REALY need to know when the broodies leave the babys. Thanks

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Why "HELP!"? Is there a problem? Or are you planning ahead for your broody bantam in the plastic bin?

The timing differs with each hen, some stay with their chicks for as little as 3-4 weeks, others as long as 10-12 weeks, a few will never leave them.

Do you have any other questions?

 

[LindseyM12]

Quote:

Well I am going to make a chicken tractor and when the babies hatch, i am going to put the mom and babys in there and i heard someplace that if dont like seperate them the mom might kill them.

 

[ipf]

the mum won't kill them. She'll just ignore them. That's what mums do. . .

 

[Sunny Side Up]

You can relax, MOST hens are fantastic mamas, and it's one of the most enjoyable aspects of chicken keeping to watch one carefully tending her brood. Sure, there is the rare exception, a hen who will hurt or kill her chicks, but you may go your whole life and never own a hen like that. I haven't yet.

A tractor will be a nice place to keep both Mama & chicks. Then when you begin to notice evidence that the hen is done with the chicks, you can put her back with her former flock-mates & keep the chicks together in the tractor until they're grown.

Another thing to start planning is what you'll do with the roos you get from this clutch, and what method you'd use if -- God forbid! -- you have to cull an ailing chick.

 

[Southerngirl]

I put my broodies in tractors so the other hens and roos wont bother her until the babies are at least 6-8 weeks old. Each broodie is going to be different on when they give the babies up and you will learn who to let hatch some out and who not to. One of my hens gave her babies up at 3 weeks on her first try ( the second batch she kept 6 weeks); then I have a buff bantam cochin who still has hers at 4 months !!! Just give it a try and see what happens. Good luck !

 

[logansmommy7]

We had a broody with four chicks and she gave them up around 8-10 weeks. It was all of a sudden, "you're on your own", and they did fine. She is nicer to them than the other chicks though...it's like she knows they were hers...sweet!