When can my broody hen be loose in the coop/run with her chicks?

[Ridgerunner]

when do they normally become independent from momma??

There is no set time or even method. I've had broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks, just leave them totally alone to make their own way with the flock. The chicks did fine. It was the heat of summer and the nights were warm enough and Mama had been teaching the rest of the flock to not bother her babies so they were accepted.

I've had broody hens go more than two months before they weaned their chicks. I've had broody hens that stopped taking care of them during the day but would protect them on the roosts at night. I've had broody hens take care of their chicks during the day but leave them on their own at night. About the only thing that is consistent with chickens is that they are inconsistent. They don't all act the same.

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[Kaurana]

Hi everyone!! I just thought I would provide one little update: they made it up the ramp today!!

However.... they first tried to hunk down under the coop again and I "nudged" them out with a long pole. Every time they went under, I would "annoy" momma and get her to move out. I actually had to leave for about 30 min and thought for sure she would be down there when I returned, but I guess I made it feel "unsafe" enough that she went up to her corner inside!!!! And somehow they managed to follow her!!

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GUIDANCE!


As for the weaning... (thanks for you patience!!!) does she just stop calling them over..?? (I love to hear her calling them!) I would like to move these chicks to another coop once weaned - I guess I will just see them not following momma around anymore...?? I have two roosters in there - if one of the chicks is a rooster they would start showing some disgruntlement at around 4 months of age, right!? I don't want the roosters to kill any of the little guys because I've left them in there too long...

 

[mailmamm]

Thanks everyone!
Well, I have to say she is a very good protector indeed! All worked out in the end, but it was a bit of an adventure... It was amazing to see my super sweet girl in action - wow!!!

My coop has indeed an area underneath (well, I was not as smart as mailmamm here!) and... of course that's where they set up for the night.... so I had to take them out of there because I did not trust that a predator would not get them...

My poor ("mostly innocent") dog was walking nearby and "got it" from momma-hen when I reached out for the chick!!! (I tried to get momma, but could not, so I figured the chick would make momma come out... it did indeed!! Yikes!!) Lots of exasperated yells from everyone (chicks, momma, myself and dog!!) later and I managed to put the chick I had in my hand in the coop, got momma in the coop too, but the second chick was then still under it looking for momma... It could hear her calling above and actually, finally, it made it up the ramp!!!

The good news is that they immediately went to the nest box where they are nice and cozy!

(Someone in the thread asked why I cared if they were in the nest box or anywhere else in the coop: my coop is pretty full, so the floor gets dirty quickly from the perches above. I am happy they can be at the box where it's cleaner and nobody will poop over them!! Yikes!)

So, at this point I would say that in the future I would be VERY comfortable with momma taking care of the babies even from hatch, EXCEPT for the fact that they may have trouble going back into the coop if you have a raised one with ramp and you better have a plan B to get them in... (unlike me!!)

My coop has a ramp only on the outside (the whole coop sits about 18".) I am hoping that after they come out tomorrow, everyone may learn how to go back in... I don't really have a way to block under the coop at this point... but I will at least put the dog away tomorrow before intervening...!!

Hopefully a last question: when do they normally become independent from momma??

What an adventure! Good to know she was on the job. I am going to start letting the littles out with momma on Monday. We are expecting a bit of a spring storm over the weekend so I'll give them a few more days inside. So glad everything worked out with no casualties.

 

[kham]

When did they come down the ramp on their own? Did you keep it blocked or was it open until mom brought them out? I have a new momma with 4 chicks. She is the only chicken we have and when she went broody, I got some fertilized eggs for her to sit on! Her babies will be one week tomorrow. Our coop with nesting boxes sit up about 20 inches with a ramp down to the run area. She hatched them up there which has been fine since we don't have any other chickens right now. There is a door at the top of the ramp that I close at night but I've been putting a wire type gate across it during the day for air flow but not wide open because I wasn't sure if they'd jump out or get hurt? Anyway it got really hot today in texas and will be hot tomorrow. I am worried they are too hot up there in the coop. Can I keep that gate open and she'll manage if they come out or not? I don't want them to get hurt! I put a bunch of hay under it today in case they fall but still didn't open it!

 

[Kaurana]

Hi Kham,
My hen was in a crate with the chicks inside the coop. At one week old, it was clear she was desperate to take them out.

In our case, the coop is at an inclined area and the ramp is 18-20” high, but the coop’s “human door” on the other is only 12” from the ground. I opened that door for them and they gladly hopped out! Then, I put a small ramp at that door for a couple of days for them, but they are ao amazingly quick! In less than a week they are jumping/fluttering 24” easily (they were 10-14 days and very independent!). Other than my disastrous/hilarious accounts of the first evening , all went well! (You gave me an excellent idea for the future: I can block the under-level with hay bales around the house!! Thank you!!)

I believe if you cushion the fall with hay as you did, they will do great! I am still trying to improve my big ramp because it is a bit slippery for them... but somehow they are all cozy inside every day when I go to close it up!

My hen took them out within minutes of the crate being gone - I think if you remove the screen and just stay around, it won’t be long for them to venture out and you can watch them!

Good luck!!
Thais

Congrats on new chicks!!

 

[greenpalm]

I am also letting a mama raise a couple of chicks. She has been so awesome at it. My coop is also off the ground, but they caught on quickly! They are very independent now. I brought them home on May 1st, and tucked them under my Broody. I sat on a stool in the coop for a while and just listened to make sure everything was peaceful. They are all pretty comfortable together now, and the babies go into the roost with everyone else at night. Last night I found one of the babies roosting in the tree next to the coop. She was WAY up high over my head, so… no question that they can get into high places now. (I got all the chickens out of the tree and put them into the coop)

If I did it again I would be even more relaxed. The only downside is that the chicks are pretty afraid of me. I am trying to bring them inside at night while I watch TV and hold them. My hope is that doing that will gentle them and get them friendlier.

Having a broody mama raise them is SO much easier.

 

[Beafields]

So how long will the mama hen take care of her babies, as in protecting them from the others. Our are about 6 weeks old and the mama just started roosting again and left them. It seemed like she was trying to get them to roost too.

 

[junior67]

So how long will the mama hen take care of her babies, as in protecting them from the others. Our are about 6 weeks old and the mama just started roosting again and left them. It seemed like she was trying to get them to roost too.

so far this year I have had 3 broody's raise chicks. One stopped around 4.5 weeks, one was around 5 weeks and one was a bit over 6 weeks. I have another broody with chicks now so will be interesting to see what she stops. The first one would jump up on the roost and when 1 baby couldn't make it (or didn't try) she went back down with them for a couple days, after that she was done. The other 2 just went up and didn't care if they came or not.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So how long will the mama hen take care of her babies, as in protecting them from the others. Our are about 6 weeks old and the mama just started roosting again and left them. It seemed like she was trying to get them to roost too.

I've had broody hens wean their chicks at three weeks, I've had some not wean their chicks for over two months. I had one hen take her chicks to the roost at 2 weeks, some never did.

I've had broody hens stop taking care of the chicks during the day but continue taking care of them at night. I've had broody hens leave their chicks on their own at night but take care of them during the day.

There is no telling what a broody hen is going to do. Could be about anything.

 

[Cecelia Deavours Campbell]

Hi there. The broody will protect her chicks. They are ready to start learning from her and she has a lot to teach them. She'll probably find a place on the floor at night until the chicks learn to roost, she'll teach them to forage and they'll be under her protection while the rest of your flock gets to know them.

I have the same questions. Mimy babies can't get up the ramp I have to try and catch them . It's in the 60s at night but they sleep under her so guess that's warm enough.