Okay, it seems the consensus is that I keep mama separated, in, say, a wire dog crate "in" the coop, until the eggs hatch.........then let she and the chicks out of the crate to interact with the rest of the flock, and be raised and protected by mama.
But my coop is raised about 2 feet off the ground, and has a small "porch" outside the pop-door, then 2 steps to ground level.........see pic below.....
So what happens when I'm at work......mama hen decides to leave the coop for whatever reason......chicks follow her, and fall or hop down onto the "porch"...(it's a drop of 4-5 inches from pop-door frame to 'porch', or even fall 'off'' the porch
completely to the ground......then can't get back up and into the coop?!?!?!
Do I block the bottom few inches for the pop door, so only mama and the other hens can get in and out, but the chicks 'can't' until they're bigger?
Mind you, on days I am home, I can certainly help them in and out as weather permits....no problem!
It's the days I can't be there that worry me!
Advice?
Ideas?
Thanks!!
But my coop is raised about 2 feet off the ground, and has a small "porch" outside the pop-door, then 2 steps to ground level.........see pic below.....
So what happens when I'm at work......mama hen decides to leave the coop for whatever reason......chicks follow her, and fall or hop down onto the "porch"...(it's a drop of 4-5 inches from pop-door frame to 'porch', or even fall 'off'' the porch
completely to the ground......then can't get back up and into the coop?!?!?!
Do I block the bottom few inches for the pop door, so only mama and the other hens can get in and out, but the chicks 'can't' until they're bigger?
Mind you, on days I am home, I can certainly help them in and out as weather permits....no problem!
It's the days I can't be there that worry me!
Advice?
Ideas?
Thanks!!
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