When is mama ready to leave chicks

[Gferna19]

Hi,
I have a mama that hatched 3 babies exactly 8weeks ago. Yesterday, She has started to peck to one of them. But the tricky part is that I moved them indoors when she was seating on the eggs because of the very low temperatures. We are still in the low 30's and its gonna go lower next week. Is she ready to go outdoor? Can she go even with the drastic temperature change... also, she is taking a break right now from her chicks but I can hear the babies calling their mama. Are they not ready to be alone? Thank you

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes she is weaning them. I've had broody hens wean their chicks as young as 3 weeks, some go weeks than yours even is summer. Chickens do not read calendars, each one is different and weans them when they want to. The chicks will be upset for a day or two but they will soon get over it. Be patient, this is a normal cycle of chicken life.

It's a shame you didn't raise them where the hen could take them outside if she wanted to. A broody hen provides all the heat they need even when it is below freezing. They would have all been acclimated by now and you would not have these issues. But you are where you are.

I don't know what temperatures you are talking about by "inside". I'll assume 70's and that your 30's outside is a low, let us know if that is wrong. The hen would probably be OK going straight outside as long as she has a nice place to get out of the wind. I don't know how warm your days are, you can try putting her outside during the day for a day or two to ease that transition but I think she'll be OK.

The same with 8 week old chicks. I've had chicks 5-1/2 weeks old go through nights in the mid 20's F with no supplemental heat, but those were raised in my brooder in the coop. I kept one end toasty but the far end was sometimes below freezing. By 8 weeks yours have fully feathered and should be able to handle those temperatures easily but a few days exposing them to colder temperatures wont hurt.

All this just addresses temperatures. If your hen had raised them with the flock she and they would all be integrated. But you are here you are. Not sure how you will handle those issues. Lots of people do exactly what you did and they handle it so good luck. It can be done.

 

[Gferna19]

Thank you. I guess I panicked since it was my first brooder and the temperatures inside the coop was at 15 degrees and she was holding her business from 2 to 3 days and barely ate. That's why I moved her indoors. But in will try to move her indoors like you say little by little. I do have a space for her . I just wanted to know the babies were ready to be on their own.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sorry if I came across as harsh. Lots of people do it like you did even in summer. We all have our own ways of doing these things for our own reasons. My personal preferences sometimes get in my way of how I phrase things.

But those chicks will be fine. Every broody hen with chicks goes through that process.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

My lone late hatched chick is still clinging on to her mother and he's about 3 months old now........ not sure how much longer Momma Hen can take though.