How long does a broody stay with her chicks?

[Molpet]

I’m starting to wonder if there is a connection between the number of babies and how long mama keeps the babies? Also maybe the number of roosters who are continually fighting! We have 7 babies with either 4 or 5 of them being roosters.

Most of mine that were dumped early were 1 or 2. One hen, who had been an excellent broody for Her first 3 years, had her 6 chicks leave her at 4 weeks.... seems like it was mutual. She hasn't gone broody since.
Now that I think about it, most were cockerels.

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Most of mine that were dumped early were 1 or 2. One hen, who had been an excellent broody for Her first 3 years, had her 6 chicks leave her at 4 weeks.... seems like it was mutual. She hasn't gone broody since.
Now that I think about it, most were cockerels.

Haha! Chickens are impossible to figure out! My mama chicken is STILL yelling outside. I wish I could figure that out!

 

[Dinosaur Village Keeper]

Mama chicken yelled the ENTIRE day. Does anyone know what that’s about? Hubby was getting so irritated. She spent some of the day way out in the field alone. That was very unusual. Those were the only times she wasn’t constantly making noise. At one point the weather was really bad and the babies were crying a lot. She finally went to them and held one of them in her wing for about 15 minutes. She also peeked in on them very quickly to make sure they went to bed, or maybe she forgot where she was going to sleep? That was the last of it. Now it’s a full on attack when she sees them. I find it incredibly sad. Oh, and she also laid an egg yesterday.

 

[bobhoke]

Please post how long yours stayed with their babies! Does the leaving happen very abruptly, or over the course of days or weeks? My broody has 5 week old babies and she has been amazing, but I just saw her peck 2 different babies to get them away from her while she is scratching for food. Very different from clucking to tell them she has something good. Kind of sad.

Its different with every hen. Normally, a little over a month.

 

[Molpet]

Mama chicken yelled the ENTIRE day. Does anyone know what that’s about? Hubby was getting so irritated. She spent some of the day way out in the field alone. That was very unusual. Those were the only times she wasn’t constantly making noise. At one point the weather was really bad and the babies were crying a lot. She finally went to them and held one of them in her wing for about 15 minutes. She also peeked in on them very quickly to make sure they went to bed, or maybe she forgot where she was going to sleep? That was the last of it. Now it’s a full on attack when she sees them. I find it incredibly sad. Oh, and she also laid an egg yesterday.

Hormones are still getting straighten out, I think

 

[BadPenny]

My girl ditched her chicks at 4 weeks this year. It was a surprise since her mom NEVER gave up her babies (in fact she, and her daughter, went nuts when I took her daughter and her eggs out to the brooder). So maybe not so much of a surprise that the daughter went running back to mom as soon as she could?