*Solved!* It this chick old enough to be ignored by the mom?

[DogAndCat36]

So this little chick, Hope, is around 1 month old. She is the only chick that hatcheed from Bertha, my Australorp.
(Don't mind her head. She was just looking down when I took the picture.)

So, Bertha has been leaving her behind and is not talking to her anymore. Should I bring her inside or can she survive the night by herself?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

You say about a month, so 4 weeks...that is a very common time to fledge chicks. It's a bit confusing for the chick at first, without momma hovering, but they already are part of the flock, so integration will just be remembering which hen to not bother.

She will be plenty warm. She is fully feathered. I've had hens hatch chicks in the dead of winter and seen the chicks running around in the snow, taking warm ups under momma from time to time. By the time they are 4 weeks, they are full functioning birds. Artificial brooding gives the false impression that you have to pamper them until 8 weeks of age, but that just isn't true.

LofMc

 

[wyoDreamer]

She looks like she has enough feathers to stay warm, mom has taught her how to find food and she know her way around. As long as she is not getting pecked/chased by the other chickens and is eating, I vote that you leave her with her flock. She can snuggle up to the other chickens on the roost if she gets cold. If you remove her from the flock, she would have to be re-introduced as if she was a new chicken and pecking order drama can be tough to watch.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Seriously, leave her with the flock unless she is being bullied. Check at night to make sure she is roosting with the rest of the birds. If you worry about her being cold, give her an area where she can go to warm up - but I bet she will never use it. At 4 weeks, my brooder chicks are off the supplemental heat of the momma-heating pad and roosting on the low bar in the brooder.
Unless there is a specific reason why you want to take her away from her family ...

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wouldn't worry at all. It will be warm enough and if she raised it this far with the flock, it has already been accepted as a flock member. Removing it now will make integration much more difficult later.

 

[The Happster]

You could try putting her in.
I actually usually put a cockerel with my lone chicks. Works a charm. They're way less aggressive then the hens.
I have a cockerel out there with two eight week olds now.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Is she hanging with the flock or is she out there in left field all by herself?

I know it is probably hard to let her be, because she is an "only" and a "baby", and you want to make sure she is taken care of. It shows that you care for your chickens very much.

 

[The Happster]

It's a bit earlier than most.
Not sure where you are and how cold it can get. I'd say she'll be ok, but she might need a buddy.

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

My recent broody started ignoring her babies at about that age, but there were seven of them. Hopefully someone with experience with only children will weigh in.
How's the weather where you are?

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

The mid 80s. My weather app says that at night it will be 64.

She should be fine then, she has most of her adult feathers.