Shuffling pens — can 6 week old chicks be separated from the Mama Hen?

[LAChickens]

I currently have a dozen six week old mixed breed chicks (Australorps, Sex Links, Ameracaunas) in a cage with the Brahma Mama that hatched them. I'm moving around my stock this weekend and since they are nearly on their own anyway, and as the weather is mild here in Southern California, I'm wondering if I can return the Brahma to her flock and the chicks into another pen safely. I'd like to use their cage for some other birds. Thoughts?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I will never again separate a mama from her baby chicks as long as I live unless she has already given them the boot. I once had to gaze upon a hen's crestfallen expression as I took her babies away.

 

[LAChickens]

Thanks, that is my biggest concern. She's been a terrific mom to these chicks and I think that you are right — I should let her decide when she's ready to move on from them. She'll know when they are ready to be on their own. I appreciate your response.

 

[donrae]

If you need the space they're plenty old enough to go on their own. That is about the age my momma weans her babies.

 

[LAChickens]

They are now nearly 10 weeks old and she's still taking care of them...I'm still letting her.

 

[mstricer]

I have always let my hens raise their chicks in the coop with the other flock. You could put the cage in the coop, she will stop caring for them. That is probably why she hasn't stop yet they are her new flock. I have three hens in one coop with cluthes and 2 in another sharing 10 babies. No one bothers them. At 10 weeks they should do fine in the coop with the mom.

 

[Grumpy old man]

Hmmm, let's see , if you bought chicks from a breeder they would have been 1 day old when they left the hen >>>>sorta makes you wish you never asked the question doesn't it ????

 

[LAChickens]

Hey Grumpy, Actually, the hen living with them hatched them out, but your point is well taken.

 

[LAChickens]

The main reason for wanting to return the Mama hen to her previous flock is that she stopped laying when she went broody back in May, and hasn't started again since. She's just over a year old... Shouldn't she have returned to laying already? Both the other broody hens that sat on eggs with her (but didn't raise the chicks) have been laying again for a couple of months.

 

[LAChickens]

Just a follow-up. Never separated out the hen. Now the chicks are 22 weeks old! Mama and her brood are integrated into the main flock. I have another set of chicks and this Wyandotte Mom is not nearly as devoted as the Brahma was but she's doing great.