new silkie momma - won't stay with babies at night

[Sandrachx]

my silkie had her first babies hatch may 13 (4). things were fine the first week - we kept her in her own small nursery-type coop with the babies and they all bonded. by the end of the 2nd week, we let them roam together with the other hens of the flock, she was a good protector and momma. went in to lock up the girls one night in the 3rd week and she was up on the roost with the other ladies! so we moved her down with her chicks in a separate cage in the coop with the other adult hens. next night one of the babies was up on the roost with her! and the other three were all huddled together on the floor in a corner. moved her/them again. it's now been a nightly ritual to gather momma and the 2 chicks that go to the roost and the babies that huddle together on the floor and put them in a cage together. the chicks are 4 weeks old this week. i'm thinking i should put momma and everyone back in the nursery-type coop by themselves for the next ___ weeks. any thoughts?

also, we are going away for the weekend and i was planning on sequestering her in the same coop (without an outside access) for the 4 days. i think she will go a little stir crazy but can't trust her to go back in with the babies on her own anymore.

 

[Judy]

She decided it was time to integrate them with the flock and stop being a full time Momma. Not unusual at 3-4 weeks. I'd leave them alone and let them do their thing.

 

[Matt A NC]

First timers have a tendency to be done at 3-4 weeks. I have had this happen a couple times. I just kept putting momma in with the babies till they were old enough to be without her at about 6 weeks old. As long as the hen doesn't flat out reject them and start pecking them, then that is what I would do.

Matt