Will baby chicks be able to go up the coop ladder/stairs?

[floodc]

I've got a brooding hen in a floor level nest box in the coop right now. The coop is raised a footnote so off the ground and has short brick steps up to the chicken door. My questions - When they hatch, does anyone know if they will they be able to follow the mama up the stairs to go back in the coop? If not, about how old will they be before they can do this? Thanks!!!!!!

 

[Runelke]

How tall are the stairs? I've had day-old bantams make it up about four inches and large fowl up to about six inches, but more than that and they tend to struggle. Personally I would separate mama and babies out once they hatch anyway, because you don't want any babies getting separated and freezing.

 

[floodc]

The steps are maybe 3 inches high each. We could pen off the corner with her nest. Last year, we had guinea fowl keets hatch - penning off the corner worked for a little while. They're crafty and coul jump when they're very young, but couldn't figure out chicken ramps or stairs.... My goal now is to have to chase baby birds around at sunset to get them into the coop!

How long do you think they'd need to be penned off before they would be able to get back inside on the stairs?

 

[Runelke]

I'd give them until their baby wing feathers are mostly in myself, but I normally use game birds as my broods these days so I can move them nest and all into a separate broody pen. Most breeds I've had can move really well by the time their wings are in, though. Honestly there are so many factors when a broody is doing the raising that it comes down to doing what feels right for you.