The Poultry Keeper

telster · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 240 Location: merseyside

ok my cochin are 7 weeks old and are now on growers .but i moved the mother to the main shed but when i let birds out she went to run and sat there with chicks all day . and last night i got home from work and found mother outside with chicks they would not go in .i put mother back with chicks, did i do right ?
she has lost so much weight . will it harm her to stay with them and eat growers.
i have removed one chick (cock) because of bullying and also treading the mother hen at 7 weeks Shocked

i just need to find the right moment to dispatch him.

CP · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:10 pm Post subject:

Ours are 8 weeks & still with their Mum. We usually let her decide when she's had enough. It won't hurt her to eat growers for a while. You could always try separating her just while you give her some layers but she may not like that (ours don't!)

Is she laying eggs again yet?

telster · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 240 Location: merseyside

no eggs as yet . this is her second brood this year and she is really too good a mother its taken it out of her . last time she was laying at 4 weeks i think she just had enough . this time she just wouldnt let go

CP · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:39 pm Post subject:

She will eventually give up & I suppose some must take longer than others. Rolling Eyes

We've never had to force the issue but let them do it their own way.

Maybe someone else will have some advice for you. Wink

poultry poofs · Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject:

You can try physically preventing her from getting to and seeing the chicks but sometimes this causes stress in itself.As Jakki said its sometimes easier to let them make their own decisions.Growers wont hurt short term but long term it can cause kidney failure in birds over 16 weeks which is why they should not be kept on growers over that age.
Its far better that they do what she is doing than they turn aggressive and kill the youngsters which sometimes happens.

Rich

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

My last broody with chicks had her ark/run moved into the big bantam run when the chicks were about a week old. I opened up the door at the run end and they all mix in together during the day, but mum & chicks return to the ark at night. When she's ready, she'll go back to one of the big poultry houses, either taking the chicks with her, or abandoning them to the little ark. I leave the decision to the hen - but even the chicks are eating layers pellets as there's no way I can stop the others eating the chick crumb.

telster · Joined: 22 Jun 2006 Posts: 240 Location: merseyside

she is still with young , i made the decision after hearing her cry i had never heard the sound before that she made and even other people said they heard it . they thought something had got in with my birds.
thank you for the advice i am still learning every day Smile

compostwoman · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 12:39 am Post subject:

I have a wonderful mum to 6 silver dorkings...who are now 9 weeks old and she shows NO signs of returning to the rest of the egg laying gang..... Laughing

I am allowing them all free access to each other and the main nest box and house now though...and apart from a bit of pecking by the other hens at the chicks all seems ok.....

she is still VERY MUCH the chicks mum and is still " covering" them in the eglu nest box...quite a sight! as they are quite big( 2 cocks, 4 pullets) and she is quite a small barred Plymouth rock..... Shocked

the chicks and their mum all go into the Eglu and run at night...while everybody else goes into " Clucking ham Palace".....

I am happy for this to continue as long as is natural, as I am more interested to see what goes on rather than get her back into egg production but was wondering how much longer is the usual time for her to keep on being "mum" ...and also how much longer the chicks will accept it?

The cocks especially are getting " cocky- er" by the day............. Rolling Eyes

oh they ARE funny to see! Laughing

debcat · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 1:04 am Post subject:

If they are happy and you are happy I'd just let things be,
she'll know when she's had enough and will soon let you know

compostwoman · Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 1:11 am Post subject:

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3540 Location: Monmouthshire

Since she's not likely to come back into lay at this time of year, just continue to let her do her own thing.

compostwoman · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:51 am Post subject:

Just an update..it is now 12 weeks and she is STILL mum to the chicks and is STILL going into the Eglu with them.......... by choice.... Shocked

Am interested to see how long she will keep this up!

Am getting 5 eggs a day from the 6 egg laying hens so am not worried about loss of her eggs...but ..how long will she keep this up? Very Happy

Bradders · Joined: 13 Aug 2007 Posts: 1011 Location: Cambridgeshire

We just let them ween themselves

compostwoman · Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 12:44 am Post subject:

compostwoman · Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject:

Just to let you know...Sweetiepie went back into Cluckingham Palace to rejoin the other girls yesterday, so she mothered the chicks for 14 weeks....they seem quite happy and go around in a little gaggle of their own!

She is now squatting again so I hope to see an egg in the next day or two!

She has also quit going "bok bok bok" and has gone back to her more normal noises!