When can mummy be taken away from chicks?

[tamz08]

Hi, this is the first time breeding chicks and we have 8 beautiful 2 week old chicks. I was wondering how long it would be before we could let mummy go and free range with the other hens.

At the moment mum & chicks are all in one coop with a foxproof run protecting them, mummy's seems to be getting a little anxious and has started pacing up & down the run.

We have another mummy & her chicks are due in 10 days, cant wait - its so exciting.

If anyone can help with my question I would be most grateful. Thank You.

 

[cheri87]

Not that I've hatched chicks myself so please take other, more experienced advice over mine, but I do believe that chicks really don't need their mums. HOWEVER, you must provide a booder box to keep them warm until they're ready to go outside again. They need a 95 F degree brooder in the first week of life and decrease the temp by 5 degrees F every week thereafter. But, that's a lot of work on your part. I think it is recommended that you keep the mum with her chicks until she loses interest, which is usually around 6 weeks but could be sooner. Maybe she just wants to visit her flock and return to her babes after shes's done socializing. I wouldn't introduce the babies until they're well feathered and mum can sufficiently guard them. But sometimes the mum treats them as strangers and can chase and peck them along with the others in the flock as she tries to regain her pecking order.

 

[spikennipper]

They are still too young at two weeks to be without their mum, I would wait until they have feathered up enough to keep warm, probably when they are a month old they should be fine to do without their mum giving them warmth weather depending too, could you perhaps try to extend the run a bit in the mean time? I have done this with mine, their chicks are around the same age as yours too

I have two broody mums with 6 chicks between them, they still pace abit but I am trying to keep them busy, I put a cabbage in there and other bits, the weather is nice and warm at the mo too which is nice for once! I may let them out with their chicks under supervision later but I'll have to get the cat in! I don't have any other adult hens to watch out for though.

 

[tamz08]

Thank you for your comments. I will extend their run and also possibly let them have a little roam (supervised of course) at the weekend, weather permitting. I will learn alot from this first batch but obviously dont want to do anything too early. Thanks again.