about to be born baby chicks

[janc]

My banty hen is sitting on eggs about 20 inches off the ground of the coop and is due this Thurs. Will the peeps be ok that high up? Should we move the eggs down to the straw? Should I put more straw in so they won't hurt themselves? The food and water is on the ground. Thanks for any answers. I'm a first time chicken mom.
Jan

 

[RendonRoo]

I found a link on a post yesterday that showed how they hatch commercially. It was amazing. almost comletely automated. They had those chicks on conveyers that dropped them at least that far to the next conveyers. It was a piece from the show How It's Made.. Watch it if you can. You will realize how durabe these fuzzie butts are. Just found thread with video. From last nignt it was posted under hatchery video.

 

[spook]

Don't move or do to much to them, add shavings under the nest box to give a more spring board feel, you can help adjust the fall. If you move your broody hen, she may break incubation and then you will definately lose the chicks.
That "How it was made" that horrified me! Geeesh, poor little buggers, I have to say, if a chick gets injured there, they just throw it into the garbage, we would feel so terrible about it.
Good luck and you must come back and share how many babies your girl has hatched.
kel

 

[janc]

Thanks so much for responding to my question. I'll do that. Bob has made a ramp from the next on down to the ground but it is at quite a slant and she hasn't been bothered by his working on it. I'll put some straw all around so they do ok. Thanks again and will let you know how many she has.
Jan

 

[ntiveheart]

Quote:
the other day i was out in my bantam pen checking on all the little terrorists that are setting eggs. i kept hearing a chick but could find it anywhere. i have about another week until i expect a hatch so i really thought i'd gone round the bend and was just hearing things lol.
i happened to glance over into the buckeye pen and there was the tiniest little bantam cochin running in and around these giant buckeyes. they paid little attention to it. i guess it's a good thing they didn't make a meal of it.
anyway, to make this long story short, the little cochin chick had taken a two foot tumble to the ground and was unscathed by it.
i should probably name it kitty (if it's a girl) because it evidently has 9 lives!

 

[janc]

I'm glad to hear they can fall pretty far and be ok. Thanks.
Jan