Separating Chicks from their Mother and their siblings?

[Gabrielle]

I am planning on getting some chicks and putting them under my broody hen, I am getting some chicks for my friend also, so when they are old enough some of the chicks go to her.

How old should they be to be seperated?

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is a whole lot about your situation I don't know that makes it a bit hard to answer. I'll assume your broody will raise them with your flock, not separately. I also don't know if your friend already has chickens or what her set-up is. I'll assume she does not already have chickens. If I'm wrong, please tell us.

Don't worry about causing trauma or stress by separating them. They can be separated at any time.

The issue becomes how your friend is set up to handle them. If she has a brooder, she can take them at Day 1. I'm guessing that is not your intent.

I'd suggest you wait until the broody weans them. That's when she leaves them on their own during the day and she sleeps with her buddies, leaving the chicks on their own on the roosts. By then they should be able to take care of themselves and be able to handle the cold.

In the heat of the summer I've had a broody wean her chicks at 3 weeks. If you are in cold weather, I'd expect her to wait until at least 4 weeks and probably longer. Even in summer I've has some take 9 weeks.

 

[Gabrielle]

Yes, thank you for your answer. My friend does not have chickens yet, she is expected to take 2. This question was answered perfectly, I am going to wait until the mother hen raises the chicks until I hand them off. It should be about 3-9 weeks? We live in FL, so during spring and summer it's about 95 outside.

Last time I raised chicks in the brooder, I kept them outside, and the sun provided their heating. They are all grown up now, and they are going on 2 years. This Spring/Summer, I am taking my next broody hen and giving her some Chicks. (During the night when she is sleeping, assuming that they hatched is key.) When they are raised, I will hand off 2 to my friend. By that note, another great question would be, when the chicks are full grown, will the flock accept them?

Also, do you have any tips for Broody hens raising chicks? Or providing things for Mother hens are their chicks? That would be most appreciated.

 

[Gabrielle]