When does a hen lose interest in her chicks?

[silverbirch]

I have a bantam Faverolle hen who hatched out 7 chicks on 21st March. She has been free-ranging with them and has been a great mum until this week when she frequently lost them, left them behind, pecked them and stopped clucking etc. Yesterday I noticed that she was roosting away from them and they had put themselves to bed in their (dog) box. So I caught her up, clipped a wing and put her back with the other 5 chickens, then I put 3 of the chicks in the coop with the adults (to see if they would be OK, I didn't want to risk all 7 ).
This morning, all 3 were fine

so I added the rest and let them all out in the run. The hen is still ignoring them all and has laid her first egg today since going broody - the chicks keep escaping through the large gauge fence and going back to free-ranging

I am most worried about feral dogs, hawks etc and am considering locking them up again.
However, I guess my question is: is 4 weeks old a normal age for independence???

 

[BarkerChickens]

Yea, that's about right. She's over being a mom and teaching them to grown up and deal with it themselves. We have 2 born March 15th and mom is starting to wean them away. She won't sleep with them unless I put the chicks near her. (last night it was too cold to let them sleep alone, but mama let them sleep under her wing when I put them by her).

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Yes, if they're fully feathered, then it's normal for a broody hen to forget about her chicks.

 

[silverbirch]

Thank you for your replies.

The chicks are fully feathered on their bodies but their heads are still chick-like and very comical

. Three of them are much bigger than the other four who are more bantam in size. The bigger ones are much more "with it" than the little ones - maybe she got fed up with waiting for the little ones to catch up LOL
I've had chicks before but their mum remained with them until they were totally grown up! Unfortunately she and they where later eaten by a fox

I was expecting this hen to look after the chicks like the last one did but I guess my first broody was an exceptionally diligent mum then?

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

They'll be okay! My hen left her chicks when they still have fluff on their feathers. They're just fine.