Mama abandons chick

[ChickenTendinBoyMama]

So I have two moms, one is a second time mom and the other is first time. The first timer only ended up with one chick.. and she's not that great of mom.. she's already even started laying already, she immediately let the rooster mount her the first time I let them roam with everyone and she constantly abandons her chick. Who is only 3 weeks old.
So I worry for that chick.. is there a way I could make my other mom adopt it? To be honest the other mom chases it off when possible but didn't know if could be done with time. I doubt the other mom would even care... I just know the abandonment is coming soon or this chick end up dead somehow. My second time mom stayed with her first chicks way past 6-8 weeks, this new mom is ready to go party already

 

[HollowOfWisps]

3 weeks is not uncommon for a hen to leave her chicks. She isn’t abandoning it, it is just time for it to be on its own especially if it’s hot out. My chicks brooded even down to 40F temperatures self wean themselves off of their heat plate at 3-4 weeks old. The momma hens only real job is to keep them warm until they don’t need heat anymore and show them how to eat/drink. Chicks don’t need long term mothering. Once they are walking, eating, drinking and don’t need heat her job is done. Some might choose to stay longer, but as long as she did her job she isn’t a bad mom.

 

[ChickenTendinBoyMama]

Oh ok, since my other stayed way longer I thought it was strange. Is there a suggestion on how to to keep this chick? I've currently been housing the mamas and chicks separately from rest of flock in different coop, should I go ahead and just split mom and let her go back to regular coop and keep the chick in other coop with the other mom and chicks and hopefully she can tag along with those chicks?

3 weeks is not uncommon for a hen to leave her chicks. She isn’t abandoning it, it is just time for it to be on its own especially if it’s hot out. My chicks brooded even down to 40F temperatures self wean themselves off of their heat plate at 3-4 weeks old. The momma hens only real job is to keep them warm until they don’t need heat anymore and show them how to eat/drink. Chicks don’t need long term mothering. Once they are walking, eating, drinking and don’t need heat her job is done. Some might choose to stay longer, but as long as she did her job she isn’t a bad mom.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Oh ok, since my other stayed way longer I thought it was strange. Is there a suggestion on how to to keep this chick? I've currently been housing the mamas and chicks separately from rest of flock in different coop, should I go ahead and just split mom and let her go back to regular coop and keep the chick in other coop with the other mom and chicks and hopefully she can tag along with those chicks?

Anywhere from 2-10 weeks is what I have seen depending on the mom. If the other hen is used to the chick and already being housed with the chick it may work to keep the chick in there. If you want to move them to the other coop with the rest you most likely will have to restart the re-introduction process with your other flock.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Some hens like to sit. I had a mom abandon her 2 chicks at 2 weeks old. Then two different hens adopted them. Those hens never even had babies and the were old.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had a hen that had a bad wing and could not roost. She would sleep in a low nest box. Someone gave me the little boy rooster they didn't want. I put it in with the hen. They bonded even though he was about 10 weeks old.

 

[ChickenTendinBoyMama]

Oh wow. When I let then out to free range everyone seems to mostly leave the chick alone. But I just don't want to be lax and someone snap.

Some hens like to sit. I had a mom abandon her 2 chicks at 2 weeks old. Then two different hens adopted them. Those hens never even had babies and the were old

 

[I have chickens21]

I once had a broody leghorn who we adopted from someone who didn’t have a rooster we put her in near our babies and she left her eggs for 12 baby chicks it was adorable they cuddled until full grown

 

[ChickenTendinBoyMama]

Anywhere from 2-10 weeks is what I have seen depending on the mom. If the other hen is used to the chick and already being housed with the chick it may work to keep the chick in there. If you want to move them to the other coop with the rest you most likely will have to restart the re-introduction process with your other flock.

Thankfully they see each other all day long through netting. And I started letting them all free range together in the afternoon through evenings. Only for nighttime do they have separate housing.

 

[ChickenTendinBoyMama]

I once had a broody leghorn who we adopted from someone who didn’t have a rooster we put her in near our babies and she left her eggs for 12 baby chicks it was adorable they cuddled until full grown

Awh!