Seperation Help

[MEchickenfarmer33]

hello everyone,
I need some help with my 5 week old chicks and their mother. Today when we let the two 5 week old chicks out to free range with their mother the mom had left them to be alone with me! She would come back and check on them and let them follow her around but wasnt nearly as concerned with them as she used to be when they were younger. So now they are all back in their individual pen and I was just wondering when it's ok to put mama back in the coop with her sisters and leave the chicks alone by themselves?? thanks for answers in advance!!!!

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

anyone?????????????

 

[The Chickeneer]

The mom leaves them once they are two months old (8 weeks), or when she starts laying again. Sometimes I loose track of the chick's ages, but when i see the mama has layed an egg, i know it's separaten time. If the chicks look like they can take care of themselves and the mama isnt too concerned, you can separate them. The chicks might have some separation anxiety but will get over it in a week. Good luck.

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

thanks so much!!! Actually mama layed an egg yesterday and today!! also the chicks did very well today all by themselves. They took dust baths, ate bugs and scratched at the ground, ran for cover when a crow flew over head and did very well when confronted by one of the older hens. Looks like this will be their last night with mama!!! its really sad because the little Delaware hen was peeping the whole time mama was gone and it's sad to see that they have ended their journey as mama and daughter. And the rooster will have to be given away so its also his last night with mama ahh the ups and downs of raising chicks!!! thanks again!!!

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

any answers to my last post??

 

[AZ_HenHouse]

I have 3 little ones raised by momma hen. Last week at about 5 weeks she started sleeping with the big girls again and let the babies sleep together. It was a funny transition...first night I noticed they were not inthe usual spot but rather she was roosting with them (they were trying to get under her wings) on a low edge. next night she was roosting with them again but they were not under her wings, next night she was up a bit higher and they were still opn low perch, then she left them at night and went back to big girls. Since she has left them at night she has also quit calling to them during the day.

We have one, Grace, that is really struggling with the transition and cries for her a lot. Since the other 2 seem to have buddied up, I have put Grace in with the one that I was hand raising, Myra so that maybe they can become friends. This is the first one that I have had that has haad such a hard time with the transition.

Good luck

 

[MEchickenfarmer33]

thanks! your peeping one sounds like my little hen!! she peeps ALL the time when mama isnt around!!! and you just let the babies in with the big girls??? I would be terrified of them being pecked to death by the hens or rooster!!!

 

[AZ_HenHouse]

Our broody, Star, raises her babies with the big girls. There are 7 including Star. We also have her chicks from her last hatch in April. There are 7 of those and 2 more that are about a month younger that we got from a teacher that hatched them in her class.
I do have a large dog crate inside the coop for the little babies. I had used it to have Myra spend more time with the chickens but keeping her safe. Since momma left the babies, I have let them stay with Myra in the crate at night. Keeps them safe and the whole group seems to be making friends.

They do free range with the big girls all day