Momma hen abandons her chicks at night

[Mom2Chicken]

I have a totally free-range game hen who had chicks about 3.5 weeks ago. We keep the chicks in a chicken run with a coop for them to sleep in. The hen can fly in and out of the run.

Almost two weeks ago, she started to abandon her chicks at night to sleep on the ground nearby in some shrubs, separated from her chicks by a 6' fence. (Before she went broody, she slept in a tree with two other hens.)

Every night, we go to the coop, disturb the poor, huddled chicks so they chirp a lot, and the momma hen eventually flies back into the coop and beds down with her chicks.

Well tonight she has completely abandoned them. We put them in a small dog crate and carried them inside. They made quite a fuss while we were moving them, and she still didn't come back. She wasn't in the nearby shrubs or trees, so she must've gone to where she couldn't hear them. (As a mother myself, I can kind of relate. )

Just wanted to get some general advice and see if others have had a similar experience. It gets down into the mid 50s at night here, and we don't have any supplies for tending chicks indoors, such as heat lamps. They seem comfortable indoors together right now. They are not chirping. I intend to put them back outside tomorrow to see what happens with their mom.

Thanks in advance!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have a hen who will go to wherever more chicks are, sonic two or three get stuck outside in the rain, sucks to be then because she'll go to the other ones inside the house.

 

[birdlover2]

I have a totally free-range game hen who had chicks about 3.5 weeks ago. We keep the chicks in a chicken run with a coop for them to sleep in. The hen can fly in and out of the run.

Almost two weeks ago, she started to abandon her chicks at night to sleep on the ground nearby in some shrubs, separated from her chicks by a 6' fence. (Before she went broody, she slept in a tree with two other hens.)

Every night, we go to the coop, disturb the poor, huddled chicks so they chirp a lot, and the momma hen eventually flies back into the coop and beds down with her chicks.

Well tonight she has completely abandoned them. We put them in a small dog crate and carried them inside. They made quite a fuss while we were moving them, and she still didn't come back. She wasn't in the nearby shrubs or trees, so she must've gone to where she couldn't hear them. (As a mother myself, I can kind of relate. )

Just wanted to get some general advice and see if others have had a similar experience. It gets down into the mid 50s at night here, and we don't have any supplies for tending chicks indoors, such as heat lamps. They seem comfortable indoors together right now. They are not chirping. I intend to put them back outside tomorrow to see what happens with their mom.

Thanks in advance!

Strange...does she think the chicks can survive without her?? This sounds like animal behavior once their job as a mother is all done and their babies can make it on their own. See what happens when u put them out in the morning.

 

[Mom2Chicken]

I don't know what she thinks, but she is a first time mom who is not used to being cooped up, so she might be choosing freedom over obligation sometimes.

This morning, she was out there at 6 a.m. looking for them. I brought them back outside and let them loose with her in the run.

I am wondering how long we have to do this before the chicks are ready to sleep outside on their own.

 

[birdlover2]

I don't know what she thinks, but she is a first time mom who is not used to being cooped up, so she might be choosing freedom over obligation sometimes.

This morning, she was out there at 6 a.m. looking for them. I brought them back outside and let them loose with her in the run.

I am wondering how long we have to do this before the chicks are ready to sleep outside on their own.

Well...I don't know much about game hens, hopefully someone else who does can answer this question Maybe shut her in the coop with them so she can't escape her responsibility? At least she hasn't completely abandoned them and isn't aggressive toward them...

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've had a couple of broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks. The chicks had to make their way with the rest of the flock on their own and they did. At 3-1/2 weeks yours can probably handle those outside temperatures fine. You should not need any supplemental heat inside.

Four to nine weeks is a more typical time for a broody to wean them but I've had a few go beyond nine weeks. Each broody is different and the same broody can be different each time. I've had broody hens stop caring for their chicks during the day but sleep with them at night. I've had hens take care of their chicks during the day but leave them on their own at night. Typically though when my broody hens wean their chicks it's cold turkey, they are on their own day and night.

You said she started this two weeks ago when they were only 1-1/2 weeks old. That's too young in those temperatures. To me it sounds like a failed broody. That does not happen often but it can.

 

[Mom2Chicken]

Thanks @Ridgerunner. She looks to be a love 'em by day, leave 'em by night kind of a momma. During the day, she is quite protective of them. Even if she wanders away, it's never far, and she rushes back if they chirp too much.

Previously, we were able to get her back to the coop at night. Last night was the first night she wouldn't come back.

If it's ok to leave them out at night (mid 50s temp), we can do that. Otherwise, we can continue to bring them in at night for a few more days.

Once she weans them fully and we sex the chicks, we'll give a few away and keep a couple for ourselves.

 

[Ridgerunner]

At 3-1/2 weeks I'd think they'd be OK outside in 50* temps as long as they are dry and kind of protected from a direct wind. But you are right on that edge. At four weeks I'd be a lot more comfortable. Maybe another night or two inside? I try to be reasonably cautious.

 

[Mom2Chicken]

At 3-1/2 weeks I'd think they'd be OK outside in 50* temps ...

Thank you!

 

[Mom2Chicken]

I have a hen who will go to wherever more chicks are, sonic two or three get stuck outside in the rain, sucks to be then because she'll go to the other ones inside the house.

When the chicks were still small enough to get through the chicken wire, our momma hen did the same. I don't think she knew how to get the other chicks back into the run so she did chicken math and figured out which group had the most chicks in it.

We would scuttle the chicks back inside the run with her and then she'd try to attack us for having the audacity to save the lives of her offspring.