Momma in brooder

[Melissann]

How long do people typically leave momma in the brooder once the chicks have hatched?? I’ve never had the option of leaving the chicks with her

 

[sourland]

I like to wait a couple of days until the chicks are fully mobile. If they are to be flock raised, I closely monitor introduction.

 

[NatJ]

Maybe a few days to a week? I'd go by behavior more than by the calendar.

Make sure they've got food and water, and watch what they do.

For the first few days, the hen will not want to move very far--she'll be focusing on keeping the chicks warm and showing them how to eat and drink.

After a few days, the chicks start to walk better, and the hen will want a larger area, so moving them at that point would probably make sense.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I wait about a week. Mama is usually telling me I WANT OUT. I’ve had three roosters in the time I’ve raised chicks with a broody and so far have had no issues at all with mama and her one week old chicks out with the big chickens n

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I have decided I wait until the chicks are a few weeks. Both times I waited just until chicks were active, my mama's would get separated from then while out and about and I lost almost the entire clutch because they kept doing it

 

[Aapomp831]

Do they have access to the outside so mama can teach them how to forage? Why not leave them with her until she naturally weans them off in approximately 2 months? I’ve always left my chicks with mama until she was done with them - but mine have access to be able to go in and out, in a predator proof kennel that we lock up every night.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I have decided I wait until the chicks are a few weeks. Both times I waited just until chicks were active, my mama's would get separated from then while out and about and I lost almost the entire clutch because they kept doing it

I've had mama end up separated from chicks, usually at night when the chicks can't quite make sense of the ramp. I usually catch them and put them inside, so that is a valid concern.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I've had mama end up separated from chicks, usually at night when the chicks can't quite make sense of the ramp. I usually catch them and put them inside, so that is a valid concern.

I do too, but when I'm at class and it's rainig, I can't leave for two hours to round them up. When she was down to her last chicks, I just shut her in the hen house while the others free ranged and opened it at night so everyone could go inside (the house stays open at night since it's in a pen)