chicks being raised by hen in nesting box

[cute chicks here]

My chicks are 2 weeks old and mother hen had been locked in the nest box with them since they hatched. I opened the door while my other hen was out foraging and let her bring them down to the lower coop. They were all very excited to take a dust bath. I blocked off a separate area for my other hen where she can see mom and the babys but not get to them because I was afraid she might peck them. My question is, will mother hen take them back up to the next box when it gets dark. The lower coop is pretty open and I thought they would be warmer if she took them back up.

 

[cute chicks here]

Here are two chicks

 

[cute chicks here]

 

[Sussex19]

She is quite likely to, but if she doesn't I would put them back myself.
After one time of being reminded, she should do easily next time.

 

[cute chicks here]

She is quite likely to, but if she doesn't I would put them back myself.
After one time of being reminded, she should do easily next time.

 

[cute chicks here]

I went out and opened the door and she tried to bring them outside. I feel that's to dangerous yet. I put her up in the nest area but she came right back down before I could catch those speedy little chicks. Hopefully she will take them up at dark.

 

[CaretakerCarol]

I just had a hen hatch 8 chicks under my barn where I couldn't get to her. On the day they were hatched she brought them out and directly back to the coop. We didn't discover this until we were closing up the coop for the night. They are now 8 days old and doing great just roaming the grounds with 25 hens and 2 roosters. She and her chicks are usually the first in the coop at close up time.

Momma hens are quite amazing and know what they are doing - with exceptions of course. She kept them under bushes and trees for the first several days. Of course, at 8 days old, they think they know everything and tend to wander a little further afield, but she keeps an eye on them all the time and calls them back to her often.

I am especially impressed with how protective the roosters are of the chicks. The other hens leave them alone, even when scratching around for goodies in close proximity.

Oh.. and one more thing. We all go through so many hoops to ensure we have the perfect environment for our baby chicks, but this is the 2nd natural hatching that I have had where momma has been out with the chicks in 40 deg or less. She does hunker occasionally so that they can come warm up, but mostly, they run around and do their thing even at a couple days old

 

[K0k0shka]

Why did they spend 2 weeks in a nesting box, why do you want her to keep taking them back to the nesting box, and why do you think going outside is dangerous for them? At 2 weeks they should be outside experiencing the world with their mom. Is your run predator proof? If it's not safe for the chicks because of predators, then it's not safe for the hens either, and you should predator proof it. But if it's safe from predators, then it's safe for the chicks to be outside. It sounds like you only have one other hen besides the broody and the chicks, so that makes things easier. The broody should be more than capable of keeping the other hen at a distance. I let a broody raise chicks with the flock every year and by 2 weeks they are roosting up on the big roost with the rest of the flock at night (under their mom), spending all day outside in the sunshine, enjoying life. As long as they have their mom to warm them up periodically, and you're not in the dead of winter, they'll be fine, they won't be too cold. One year my broody hatched chicks in a snowstorm in April. It was in the 40s when she took them outside. They were fine. Give your little family some freedom to spread their wings!

 

[cute chicks here]

Why did they spend 2 weeks in a nesting box, why do you want her to keep taking them back to the nesting box, and why do you think going outside is dangerous for them? At 2 weeks they should be outside experiencing the world with their mom. Is your run predator proof? If it's not safe for the chicks because of predators, then it's not safe for the hens either, and you should predator proof it. But if it's safe from predators, then it's safe for the chicks to be outside. It sounds like you only have one other hen besides the broody and the chicks, so that makes things easier. The broody should be more than capable of keeping the other hen at a distance. I let a broody raise chicks with the flock every year and by 2 weeks they are roosting up on the big roost with the rest of the flock at night (under their mom), spending all day outside in the sunshine, enjoying life. As long as they have their mom to warm them up periodically, and you're not in the dead of winter, they'll be fine, they won't be too cold. One year my broody hatched chicks in a snowstorm in April. It was in the 40s when she took them outside. They were fine. Give your little family some freedom to spread their wings!

I have a fenced area outside the coop and before the chicks hatched I let the two a dults out daily but I always feel I have to gaurd them because the neighbors big cat tries to get them and so do hawks.The coop itself has a predator proof small run and that is where they are now going down to dust bath and have more room but I thought at 2 weeks they would be too cold at night. My hen did take them back in the nest box at dark.