How long will Broody hen stay with chicks?

[srd5757]

How long does the Broody hen stay in the nest box with chicks at night before she starts going back to roosting at night???

 

[Eggcessive]

I can only speak from my experience this past year with broodies, but mine stay with their young about 5-6 weeks until the chicks are roosting on their own. The moms' hormones just seem to turn off and they go on with their lives. It's nice if there are other chicks in the group or at least similar in age. Right now I have 3 single chicks with 3 broodies and I have noticed the hens are starting to hang out together with the other broodies which will be good when the kids are on their own.

 

[apostoliclady]

I've seen my hens back on the roost with her babies around 4 weeks. Almost scary to walk in the coop and not see them mama on the nest. Always takes me a minute to find her on roost with the others. This year, I had 2 babies missing! The mama had one tucked under her wing on the roost. The other baby was hanging out with another hen who was letting her perch between her legs! So funny!

 

[donrae]

Mine's been about 5-6 weeks. You'll usually hear the babies freaking out and think something's wrong, go check and mommas on the roost and the babies are on the ground, not knowing how to get up there. I always just let them figure it out themselves. Sometimes they wind up sleeping on the ground for a few nights, sometimes for s few weeks until they get the hang of roosting themselves. Sleeping on the ground doesn't hurt them at all. And yeah, it's funny to watch them try to snuggle under momma on the roost--sometimes my mommas let them, sometimes they're really done being momma and peck them away. The chicks usually make a lot of noise at dusk for a few nights--no one likes change!--but it's normal.

 

[srd5757]

My chickies are almost 2 weeks old. We had seperated broody from the coop into a different pen as our nest boxes are like 18" off the floor of the coop, and not really big enough for chicks anyway. When chicks were a few days old I began opening their cage so momma could go free range awhile, then would lock them back up before letting the others free range. Monday when I went out the chicks were all out of the cage and doing their own thing and Momma was kinda freakin pacing back and forth, etc. So, I figured they'd be better off free ranging with Momma while the others are out to, then out by themselves. Momma is a good protector. So anyway, long story, I've been letting them free range most of this week. Last night I could hear alot of peeping around 8pm, I went out and Momma had went in the coop, which is raised and they would have to go up a ramp to get in. She had gone in and was in a nest box chirping like "Come on in, I"m in here". After a bit their peeping convinced her to come back out, and a lil while later she went in and got on a roost, and a few minutes later came back out to her babies. I had to kinda herd her back to her pen last night. I'm kinda wondering if she wants to go back... or maybe I should put her nest box on the floor of the coop so they can be with other chickens... but do you think the babies will be able to get up the ramp and down in the morning?

 

[AmericanMom]

My chicks are now almost 5 weeks, we had seperated Momma when she went broody and she was a most determined broody, she is attentive and doesnt let them roam far before calling them back. After hatching we moved them beside the chicken run in a place all there own and about 2 weeks ago started letting them out to free range with the other chickens, no issues at all. My question is I know she may loose intrest in them soon so should I now move them into the big coop at night with all the others while Momma will still work to protect them??

 

[New Flockman]

Ours are almost five weeks old, and momma is still very attentive and sleeps with them in a nestbox. They can make it up to the roost bar, and do, but not yet with the other chickens.. Momma is still tidbitting them and handing over tasty morsels like grasshoppers.

 

[AmericanMom]

Ok...so Momma Hen +1 us 0..... Put her in the chicken run with the other chickens last evening, chicks were with her, all was well... Left to go to a birthday party when we returned (well after dark) Momma had jumped the fence and went back to her enclosure taking all four chicks with her... Part of me wonders if I should just leave her knowing she knows best but then I think thats where she has been for three months so naturally she will return there....Thinking about trying again tonight after dark... Thoughts??