When do the chicks and their mama give up their nest?

[SoCalClucker]

My broody hen spent the last week of her 21 days of clutch setting in a small portable run (2.5' x 5' x 2.5' tall) set inside the main run -- her "maternity ward," if you will. She had her nesting box and her own food, water, and space to stretch her legs and wings a bit ... very "private." On June 28 she then had one egg hatch and adopted the shipped chicks that arrived the same day that we gave her without any problems. They remained isolated in the private run for several days after Hatch Day, but we've slowly been allowing them to integrate with the rest of the flock during the day by leaving the door to it open so the mama and babies can go in and out of it at will, though they definitely return to it at night to sleep and I lock them in at that point. I'm not sure why I do that... all the other hens already have their sleeping spots, and mama and babies have shown no interest in sleeping elsewhere, outside of their private run. Hmm.

I need advice from all the experts on here about how and when the mama hen and her babies will evolve their sleeping habits. Do I leave their private run in there for as long as they care to use it to sleep in? Should I be adding a lower roosting bar into the main run's sleeping area (the chicks will have weeks or months before they can reach the bars that are there now) and helping the chicks learn to roost? If I take the private run away, will the mama and babies still sleep in the same place on the ground? How do people handle this process? Help, I'm at a loss!

 

[azygous]

Your "private maternity ward" is very similar to what I set up for my broody. Mine is just a few days from beginning her second brood of this season. She has a coop section and private run all to herself.

What happens is the broody remains in the nest with her chicks until they get independent. She will then teach them to roost, somewhere around four to six weeks. Soon after that, she's finished with them, and she will either ignore them and go on with her own life or she will drive them away when they try to continue to associate with her.

But in answer to your question, they will be finished with the nest when the chicks roost. I usually assist my broody in teaching her chicks how to use the roosting perch.

 

[SoCalClucker]

Your "private maternity ward" is very similar to what I set up for my broody. Mine is just a few days from beginning her second brood of this season. She has a coop section and private run all to herself.

What happens is the broody remains in the nest with her chicks until they get independent. She will then teach them to roost, somewhere around four to six weeks. Soon after that, she's finished with them, and she will either ignore them and go on with her own life or she will drive them away when they try to continue to associate with her.

But in answer to your question, they will be finished with the nest when the chicks roost. I usually assist my broody in teaching her chicks how to use the roosting perch.

Thank you! Our babies are still only a week and half old, so it sounds like I have some time. Not ready for them to grow up!

 

[chickens really]

I make a pile of shavings on the floor in my Coop once I release the Broody and Chicks back into the flock...Momma does all the rest... zero issues so far....

 

[centrarchid]

When chicks are about 2 weeks old, hen will start developing inclination to roost up. In most instances chicks not ready to follow up until about three weeks. Most hen reared broods will roost up by 5 weeks.

Most of my hens will use hatch site for the first week or so before moving to another ground site a short distance away

 

[SuperMell]

My broody moved from nest to another spot on the ground when her chicks were 3 days old. I think the nest was too close to where the other adult hen roosts because the new nesting site is on the far end of the run from the roost.