4 of 7 out I think? Now what.... advice please; ty!

[aliris]

Everyone's shifted status around here, a bunch of whining aunties running about and we're grandparents!! I told a friend or two this and they got so freaked out and shocked I forgot that we're not _actual_ grandparents - dunno why my human friends are not amused.

Anyway - y'all understand me.

So now what? It's Wed am, d22. The first of 7 came out this time on d20. So it's 48 hours from the first hatch, and just 24 hours post-incubation-expectation. Mama has been exceptional so I'd say she does know stuff and I'm inclined to believe she knows what she's doing and sitting for longer is what she's doing. Is that right? Should I be prepared to aide an egg to hatch if she moves off and there are some unhatched yet?

Another question: They're in a predator proof cage that has an enclosed space with a pop door and a long ramp to downstairs which is hardware-wire proofed. I have excluded the flock from the big space but the upper space is open to them. But should I close the door on the big, upper space, so the babies once mama leaves the nest, don't fall down the ramp? Or is that just part of their learning curve and it should stay open? It's not like they're unable to move - I've seen them scurry just fine. They look 1 week old even though they're not! So cute.... (but I don't have good pictures yet!)

 

[Debbie292d]

For your first question, if momma moves off that nest because she's got to get her chicks moving onward to their new lives, and food/water, then I'd candle them. She knows her chicks can go 72 hours without food/water and maybe knows there's still a chick coming.

As for the ramp. You lost me there, but suffice it to say, when I used to let my hens hatch, they have a double ramp to get down and those little legs could do it. After I saw this the first time, I started moving her to a spot on the floor inside of an open-front box to make it easier.

We never segregated the momma hens from the rest as they knew to stay away.