Hen Leaving Chicks at 3 Weeks?

[ChickonLand]

I had a broody Barred Rock who hatched five chicks three weeks ago tomorrow. She laid her first egg, since going broody, yesterday. Since then she kinda has been apart from the chicks, she still protects them and lets them peck beside her. Should I be worried?

 

[barred2rock]

She knows what she's doing. I wouldn't worry, unless the chicks aren't eating or drinking for some reason.

 

[Sarahal88]

I had a broody Barred Rock who hatched five chicks three weeks ago tomorrow. She laid her first egg, since going broody, yesterday. Since then she kinda has been apart from the chicks, she still protects them and lets them peck beside her. Should I be worried?

Are they in with the rest of your flock or separate? I had this problem with some 5 week old chicks. They were basically feathered so heat wasn't a problem, but mom stopped protecting them and in fact was joining in with the others bullying them. They got moved into a separate pen so they can grow out. It was my first batch raising chicks under a hen and I thought she was supposed to help integrate them, not make the bullying worse.

If they are separate from your other birds then you are just worrying about heat. If the chicks are peeping loud and seem unhappy, like they are trying to snuggle with mom for a warm up and she won't allow it, you could add some supplemental heat via a lamp (carefully attached in a place where they cant bump or touch it) just in case. But I bet they are fine. Does she sleep with them at night?

Depending on where you are located, in this weather they may not need that much heat from her during the day anyway. I wouldn't worry until the chicks seem unhappy or she actively chases or pecks them to keep them away.

 

[ChickonLand]

Are they in with the rest of your flock or separate? I had this problem with some 5 week old chicks. They were basically feathered so heat wasn't a problem, but mom stopped protecting them and in fact was joining in with the others bullying them. They got moved into a separate pen so they can grow out. It was my first batch raising chicks under a hen and I thought she was supposed to help integrate them, not make the bullying worse.

If they are separate from your other birds then you are just worrying about heat. If the chicks are peeping loud and seem unhappy, like they are trying to snuggle with mom for a warm up and she won't allow it, you could add some supplemental heat via a lamp (carefully attached in a place where they cant bump or touch it) just in case. But I bet they are fine. Does she sleep with them at night?

Depending on where you are located, in this weather they may not need that much heat from her during the day anyway. I wouldn't worry until the chicks seem unhappy or she actively chases or pecks them to keep them away.

My flock is free range so the chicks will be near the older hens and they all get along fine. The mother hen stopped sleeping on them the other night but the chicks are warm (I live in a hot climate).

 

[barred2rock]

My flock is free range so the chicks will be near the older hens and they all get along fine. The mother hen stopped sleeping on them the other night but the chicks are warm (I live in a hot climate).

As long as they're eat & drinking and mom is still protecting them, they should be fine.