Should I separate them?

[OverWyreGrower]

I've got nearly 7 week old chicks with their mum at the moment, and she isn't showing any signs of wanting to 'get away' from them!

She hasn't yet come back into lay, and is fiercely, hugely, verging on psychpathic, protective of them...If I remove a chick to quickly check it, she goes absolutely mental

I would have thought that I could seperate them now, but am worried about either the chicks or mum getting highly distressed if I did.

Should I just leave her with them, and wait for a 'natural' seperation, rather than forcing it?

[Nicos]

I'd just leave them be to be honest- why upset them for a few extra eggs????
If she's very upset she probably won't go into lay soon anyway!

I think my moms left their chicks around 8 weeks- but even now- if they beat her to a morsel of food she'll step back and let them have it( they're about 14 weeks)- the chicks of the same age from a different mom are roughly pecked away!!!

I'd just leave them be!

[RichmondHens]

I'm with Nicos on this. Unless you are desperate to get her back into lay because you need the eggs, I would just leave her be. She will separate from them in her own time. I do generally take mine away at around the 6 week mark but I also take some time watching the hen and how she is behaving, whether she is foraging on her own or with the chicks, whether she is still protecting them etc. Most of mine are happy to leave at the 6 week mark, some are in lay again after only 4 or 5 weeks. Each bird is different so it's up to you.

[OverWyreGrower]

Thanks guys!

I decided to keep them together for now, but moved them to a larger run (rather than a nursery run) and let her disown them naturally!