Question - Hen weaning at just under 4 weeks

[FriendsChicks]

First time Mama Hen sat on 9 eggs. 6 hatched, 4 survived. The other 3 she left in the nest.
It's about 4 weeks now. It was a staggered hatch over 3 days, so these babes have a few days between them.

They stayed in their own little cage in the chicken run for the first few days and then have been integrated with the flock since (1 rooster, 3 other hens). No problems integrating. The flock free ranges but Mama and babes have stayed pretty close to the run. Until tonight, Mama and babies were sleeping in one coop (maternity ward) and the others in the other coop.

Today was the first day I noticed her behavior that seems like typical weaning -- chasing them off, pecking them, shooing them away from food and water. She left them and went far away to roam while they stayed pretty close to the run. Tonight she has gone into the main coop but the little ones went into the maternity coop. I just left them like that and closed both coops.

This is only my second hatch and the last one the mama was super protective until they were much older. Given that they are younger than 4 weeks, what should I do in the morning, after they have spent the night away from mom?

(It's really hot here so not worried about temperature)

 

[nuthatched]

Let them mingle

 

[FriendsChicks]

Thank you. So far they are mingling ok -- Mama hen has gone way off on her own but the others are mingling with the young ones. They will be 4 weeks in 4 days.

 

[FrostRanger]

Their mother did her job, they'll be just fine, nothing for you to do

 

[FriendsChicks]

What causes a mama to step away from mama duties so early? I keep reading 6-8 weeks or even longer. (and my only experience was a mama who stayed with her chickies for a full 9 weeks).

Thanks for the help for a relative newbie at hatching.

 

[FrostRanger]

It just depends on the hen how long she mothers her chicks. Some will be involved for longer than others. Yours is just at the shorter end

 

[sourland]

What causes a mama to step away from mama duties so early?

Some simply are biologically programmed to wean earlier than others - just as most are programmed to leave the nest within 24 to 36 hours after the first chick hatches - this is why staggered hatches are not a good idea.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What causes a mama to step away from mama duties so early?

You are dealing with living animals. They are not programmable robots but each is an individual and will do their own thing. I've had a couple wean their chicks at 3 weeks, some at closer to 3 months. I've had some that raised two separate broods and weaned them at different ages. I do not know what specifically makes a hen choose a specific time to wean her chicks.

Mine are raised with the flock and have always been able to handle themselves after they are weaned. They typically form a sub-flock and avoid the adults during the day and at night. When they mature enough they join the pecking order. Until then I don't crowd them where they have to be right next to the adults and provide multiple feed and water stations so the older cannot bully them away from food and water.