What age can chicks leave mom?

[Margit]

I have 4 newly hatched chicks being reared by my broody Speckled hen. My daughter is desperate to take her Rhode island red into school. Obviously it would be me who took them for 5 mins at the start of the day, how old should they be?

 

[Judy]

They need external warmth for 3 to 4 weeks, provided by a heat source or the mama.

 

[RonC]

Some chicks never meet mom being raised in a brooder. A couple of handwarmers in a small box would work for an alternate source of heat for a "field trip". Be careful of little hands that are unfamiliar with handling it.