Broody Hen - 2 story coop - will chicks be safe?

[YooperK]

We just had a hen go broody a couple days ago and were thinking about picking up some chicks for her at our feed store's animal swap on Saturday. But as I was thinking about the logistics of our coop ( where to put another nest box, getting food and water at chick height, etc) I realized that I might have a potential problem

Our coop is a two-story design. The "upstairs" is actually our summer chicken tractor. In the winter, we put it on top of "the downstairs", which elevates it two feet and adds a floor over most of the bottom of the tractor. There isn't a ladder between the stories - the birds fly up and down.

The upstairs is where the nest box, access doors, etc, are. Our broody is currently camped out in the (only!) nest box, right next to the food and water. There isn't really an easy way to access the downstairs, but I guess I could lower food and water down there if I needed to.

My question is, if I put chicks under my broody where she is, will she have the sense to keep them upstairs as long as they can't fly? There is an about 8" ledge that keeps the bedding in the upstairs that chicks probably wouldn't be able to get over right away. If it would be better to move them downstairs, should I put the chicks under here where she is (and move the family down after she accepts the chicks) or try to move her down today? The nest box is mobile if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance!

P.S. For those of you wondering "why doesn't she just take the tractor off the downstairs - after all, it is May 3!", well, it's still winter here in the UP of Michigan. We got snow yesterday, and there's still between 2 and 3 feet of snow on the ground in the chicken yard. They still need the downstairs because I can't let them out to range during the day. I will probably be taking the tractor off toward the end of the month - chicks will be about 4-5 weeks old.

 

[YooperK]

Thought I'd add a couple pictures to clarify the coop situation.



This is the side that faces the house. The white part is the upstairs, the lovely unpainted plywood is the downstairs.




Inside the "inner sanctum. When you open the access doors, the bucket nest box is to the left, out of frame to the right is the feeder and waterer. Broody is not on the nest since I just refilled the feed right before taking the picture. Through the pop-door is the rest of the upstairs, which is open to grass in the summer.




View from the other end of the coop. I could lower food and water downstairs through the person door, but would have to wade through the snow everyday to get to it. Actually, it's not too bad now....

 

[Thecrispy1]

I would move her first. Then see if she accepts chicks. Or you could try confining them upstairs with food and water. I wouldn't count on the chicks knowing enough not to fall off the ledge especially when they get a little bigger and chase each other around.

 

[YooperK]

Thanks - I think I'll try closing the pop door on them for a couple days, then migrating them downstairs.