How long do you leave chicks with mom??

[cjexotic]

Not sure if I have this under the right topic but was wondering if you let the hen or a broody hen sit on your eggs and hatch..how long do you leave her with the chicks? I have a foster hen that is fostering 11 chicks that are about 6 weeks old. During the day I put her with the other hens to stretch and eat without "kids" around then back into baby pen as chicks are calling for her.. so she paces in front of their pen.

What do other people do? Thanks

 

[silkiechicken]

I just leave them with her till she kicks them out... if I am keeping the chicks, I don't separate them. If I am selling them, I just take them from mom as they are picked up.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I have an almost 4 month old chick who is still with mom. Mom has gone broody again and the chick is brooding with her. They both sit in the nest all day long LOL

 

[cjexotic]

Aw Mother like daughter learning first hand.

 

[Junkmanme]

I have a similar problem. My broody hen has 1 chick and 15 adopted (store-bought) chicks. (There would be 16 adopted, but she HATES 1, so I moved it out after she attacked it.) They are now approx. 5 weeks old and getting HUGE!

I want to move Momma Hen out with the grown-ups and put wounded (recovered) chick back with her siblings! BUT, Momma Hen ain't goin' for THIS DEAL !!! No way, Jose!

She paces back and forth near the "brood fence" when I separate her....and I'm sure would eventually get over the fence back to the "little ones".

They don't "need" her anymore in my opinion.

I think she needs to get back with the "flock".

I'm thinking about caging her for a few days away from everybody.

Is this sensible?

Junkmanme

 

[nikki_r5]

I leave them together until:

She gets fed up and starts to picks on them.

Until she lays an egg.

I dunno but it seems to work for me...