removing mum from chicks

[karminski]

how old can chicks be before you remove them from mum only reason why i am asking is i think my pekin maran wants back with the others but the chicks are only coming on 6 weks old roughly , i am not really around in the day to see what they are like but at night shes really really unsettled and constantly watches the other birds going to bed and acts like she wants to be with them . i know thier house has had red mite and its checked twice daily and treated 2 / 3 times a week so i dont know if its that thats bothering her as well but if i try and put her near another house i have in their section of the run she goes mad .

 

[Stapfam]

My chicks are coming up for 6 weeks old and mum is still attentive to them. Think it is not mum that is will be the deciding factor but the chicks. Do they still huddle up to mum- does she still fuss over them and lead them in their actions.

Different situation as my Hen and chicks were given to us as a brood and she has never been with the others but if the chicks are not independent yet- it may be too early.

 

[chrismahon]

Hens do lose interest in their chicks at about 6- 8 weeks and that's when we separate Karminski. Need to be careful though as mum could be attacked as an outsider (as ours were) and you may need to carefully re-introduce her. At that stage her chicks need to be out of sight as they do go crazy trying to get back to them for a day or so and get very stressed.

 

[Marigold]

So long as the chicks are in a separate run from any adults, and are warm and dry enough especially at night, I can't see any problems about removing mum at 6 weeks. By then they should be well feathered up and eating independently. My last pair of new birds were 5-week-old chicks, already used to being outdoors in the daytime, and they grew on fine, no problems, on their own. Looks as if your hen wants to be back with the others, so not much point in leaving her with the chicks I would think.

 

[karminski]

the chicks are growing well and have lovely good feathers coming though but are spending more and more time away from mum although they still follow her around but not like they were as babies , i'll give them tell over the weekend and see what happens . all my birds can see each other no matter what pen they are in and i havent ever really had any probs putting broodies back in with the main group thing is i need to have this go smooth and the birds go were i need them to go as i have had permission to keep ducks the council are changing how they see them i mean as poultry now and not fowl as other people are keeping them on other sites as well so not only am i going to extend the run but the back section the mum and chicks have at the mo will be made 3 ft larger ohh am excited .