When can I take newly hatched chicks away from mama hen?

[hannakat]

I've never let a broody hatch eggs before so I have zero experience with this. We really don't want to keep the chicks but I don't want her all hormonal because they disappear either.

Please share your experience!!!

 

[HorseCrazyy]

Hmmm I'm not exactly sure. I had a chicken that hatched a chick and I took it right away, she was very worried for a bit but she calmed down in a day or two. Honestly I'm not sure.

 

[hannakat]

Hopefully someone with experience will jump in

 

[AZ_HenHouse]

My broody is ready for them to be on their own in a few weeks but each one is individual on that. Her first clutch she babied for a couple of months but lately she is done with them about 5 weeks.

 

[HEChicken]

Personally I don't think I could ever do it, after they've gone to all the work of sitting and hatching them, it doesn't seem fair to just take them away. Why not let her raise them for a few weeks and then you can sell them as started pullets?

My first broody kept her chicks with her for 15 weeks! But my most recent broody gradually gave them more and more freedom from about 3 weeks on. Her chicks will be 5 weeks old tomorrow and the Mama laid her first egg since going broody just this afternoon. I noticed last night that her chicks were sleeping on a different roost in the coop than their Mama so I think she is pretty much done with the parenting gig.

 

[RonC]

Mama will take good care of them and take a load off you.