Hen roosting away from 3 week old chicks

[kllyjansen]

My first broody hatched 8 chicks about 3 weeks ago. So far she has been a great momma... fiercely protective and attentive. I moved her and her brood to an empty coop where she stayed with them for the first few weeks but where she had access to the overall flock. In the past 3 days she has been bringing her chicks into the flock and everything has gone well.

Tonight I heard a lot of distressed chick peeps and made my way out to the coops to find that momma hen is back to roosting up high with the flock without her chicks. The chicks are running around peeping for her near the coop they were raised in.

Thoughts? I can return momma to the babes and lock her near them, but maybe I should let nature do her thing? The chicks are a mixture of fuzz and feathers and it's warm outside but a quick Google search suggests she would leave them around 6-8 weeks.

 

[sfgwife]

Put up lower roost bars the chicks can get onto.

 

[ronott1]

Does she come back to take care of them? The chicks will likely be fine for temperatures.

It might be a good idea to keep them away from the bigger hens though until they are older. If Mom is not protecting them, then they may be attacked by the flock

 

[kllyjansen]

Put up lower roost bars the chicks can get onto.

There is a pretty low roost bar, but the chicks are running around in the dark and not entering the coop where the hen is.

 

[kllyjansen]

Does she come back to take care of them? The chicks will likely be fine for temperatures.

It might be a good idea to keep them away from the bigger hens though until they are older. If Mom is not protecting them, then they may be attacked by the flock

To my knowledge, this is the first time she has left them, so I have no idea if she will return. The other chickens were all playing pretty nice today, and I was even impressed that the chicks were wandering pretty far from their momma without any issue from the flock.

 

[ronott1]

To my knowledge, this is the first time she has left them, so I have no idea if she will return. The other chickens were all playing pretty nice today, and I was even impressed that the chicks were wandering pretty far from their momma without any issue from the flock.

Sounds promising!

Can you put the chicks up with momma?

 

[kllyjansen]

Sounds promising!

Can you put the chicks up with momma?

I can try! I'll report back

 

[bobbi-j]

I would say she's weaning them. I'd leave her and the chicks with the flock while she is still somewhat protective of them. I used to wait until the chicks were 4-8 weeks old to integrate with the flock, but have since discovered that the earlier they are integrated, the better it goes. Mama protects them when they're younger, but as they get older they are on their own.

As far as lowering the roost bar... I've had hens with 2-week old chicks roosting in 7 ft. high rafters.

 

[red horse ranch]

I've had several hens that were done raising chicks by the time they were 3 weeks old. they just don't want any more to do with them. Sounds to me like your hen is ready to rejoin the flock. The chicks will need protection and they still need 80 degrees at night. I think it's up to you to finish raising them.

 

[Spartan22]

The google, 6-8 weeks is wrong LOL. Broody hens have their own timeline, and maturity, some are great mommas some are not. This spring/summer is also my first broody experience and let me tell you, it was an experience... I got 6 hens that went broody on me almost simultaneously, I let 5 hatched their clutches of eggs. My first broody was a good mom and protective for 3 wks then abandoned her 2 chick to join the flock and lay eggs. The 2nd broody took in the abandoned chicks and put them under her 2 days later among her other chicks (it’s week 5 now) and she’s still taking care of them. My broody hen #3 weaned herself from the chicks 3.5 wks into it and my broody #4 left her chicks 2.5 wks after they hatched and they’re all fending for themselves roosting with the other hens.
My broody #5 has 4 chicks that are almost 2 wks old, and am noticing that she’s starting to peck them out if they go under her but she still protects them from other hens. It seems like she’s getting ready to wean them though. Our temps drops to 60s at night and up to 80-90s on daytime but they’re all fine, I’d been raising chicks from brooder for 5 consecutive years and never seen hardy and very independent chicks that I don’t have to do a thing since the broody hens raised them.