Mama hen went onto her roost

[ilovemychickens2000]

her babies couldnt figure out how to get up, so i tried to pick her up and move her down onto the floor, but she jumped right but up onto the roost. She still seems protective of her babies because when i grabbed them and they chirped she made a big "BAKAWK!" and tried to peck my hand. But i put all her babies onto the roost because i figured if she thinks its time for roosting, it probably is.

I could be wrong though. She does seem to keep forgetting her babies because of a queen bee hen who just went broody yesterday (Boots is her name) Boots will chase rose, grab her, peck her, all of the above. So ive been chasing boots around the yard and holding her down below rose so she understands that she isnt allowed to attack the first time mom.

Ive also been pecking her back when she pecks at rose, that really seemed to put her in her place.

 

[nuthatched]

How old are the chicks? 5 weeks? She's likely weaning them.

 

[ilovemychickens2000]

How old are the chicks? 5 weeks? She's likely weaning them.

About 5 weeks, shes been chasing them away and pecking them lightly. But, i tried to grab one and she tried to attack me to protect them. What is weaning? What should i expect? My other hen hatched out babies but didnt let them go until they were fully grown
edit: when i say she didnt let them go, she let me pick them up and let them wander whereever they wanted, but still slept with them on her back and under her wings. Even as full grown chickens, It was really funny to see. I have no issue with her keeping her chicks until adulthood, (binky is the hen i am talking about. Rose is my current hen who the main post is about.) But since binky has been my main hen ive never seen chicks been weaned off. Binky only just recently started a pecking order, and even then shes very gentle lol. I should go see her, writing this post about binks is making me miss her!

 

[nuthatched]

About 5 weeks, shes been chasing them away and pecking them lightly. But, i tried to grab one and she tried to attack me to protect them. What is weaning? What should i expect? My other hen hatched out babies but didnt let them go until they were fully grown
edit: when i say she didnt let them go, she let me pick them up and let them wander whereever they wanted, but still slept with them on her back and under her wings. Even as full grown chickens, It was really funny to see. I have no issue with her keeping her chicks until adulthood, (binky is the hen i am talking about. Rose is my current hen who the main post is about.) But since binky has been my main hen ive never seen chicks been weaned off. Binky only just recently started a pecking order, and even then shes very gentle lol. I should go see her, writing this post about binks is making me miss her!

Weaning is the chocks are big enough to take care of themselves and don't necessarily need her anymore. They'll be completely on their own in a few weeks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had hens wean their chicks at three weeks old, some not wean them until they were almost 3 months old. Most of my broody hens wean their chicks around 5 weeks old but that can vary a lot.

I've had hens just cut their chicks off when they wean them, abandon them day and night. I've had hens continue to sleep with their chicks at night but leave them on their own during the day. I've had hens take care of the chicks during the day but avoid them at night. When you deal with living animals you don't get guarantees, about anything can happen.

I agree with Nuthatched, that hen is weaning them. Perfectly normal.