New Mama leaving her chicks?

[LemonberryMoon]

Our SL Wyndotte went broody at about 9 months old so we gave her a few eggs and ended up with 2 chicks. She has been in a separate coop in an adjacent yard to the rest of the flock. She has done well protecting her chicks from our Lab and Doxie (who would never actually hurt them).

The chicks are just under 4 weeks old and she has started laying again. Today I opened up the gate connecting the two yards. She keeps leaving the chicks and going off on her own while they peep loudly for her. Is this normal? The other chickens don't seem to bother the babies, but I worry she'd be to far away to stop any trouble.....

 

[sourland]

She has moved on from motherhood and is in the process of weaning her chicks. Hopefully the chicks are developed enough to fend for themselves. Frequently such hens will continue to brood their chicks at night for several more weeks, but her body is telling her to lay for another cycle and then probably go broody again.

 

[rachel9947]

In my experience some Mums are complete mothers for weeks, and some stop being motherly too soon for the chicks to survive. If you think the chicks are in danger from not keeping warm at night under her, which they need until 6 weeks old, then I would suggest you still need to keep her and the chicks separate from the rest of the flock. The chicks should follow her if she walks off. If they are not, then I would check their eyes. I have a Mum who has started laying again, and is getting treaded by the cockerels. The chick just keeps out of the way while this is happening, but still follows Mum, and sleeps under her wing at night. I have another Mum who is rubbish! She will abandon the chicks quite soon if left with the flock, so I have her completely separated, where she cannot see the others, and in this situation she is a brilliant Mum. We just know that is her character. Hens differ as Mums just as much as humans do. Don't worry! Just take the action you need to to protect the chicks.

 

[LemonberryMoon]

Well I left the gate open to see where everyone went to bed. She is in her "maternity" coop with the chicks under her. Do you think I could move them all to the big coop and move my other two broodies into the maternity coop now?

 

[rachel9947]

Just from my experience if she is still sitting on the chicks at night in the 'maternity' coop then she doesn't feel ready to bring them into the main coop at night. Also, if you have two other broodies about to hatch then they may be aggressive towards her chicks. Depends how long the other broodies have been sitting. They will be fine for 48 hours after they hatch. After that, the chicks will start to move around and feed. At that point they are vulnerable. Just a suggestion? I have found that a cardboard box provides security for Mum and chicks at night. She can sit on the chicks in there. Box can then be moved into the main coop, and Mum can retire in there when alarmed with the chicks. My mums are happy to go anywhere where they have their 'known' box. Other chickens know that this is Mum's sanctuary, and don't try to enter the box. Box should be small enough to fit Mum and chicks, but not allow a cockerel to jump on top of her. This has worked for me.