Chicks hatched in nesting box

[Silkie Hatcher]

My Silkie has just hatched out 2 chicks in her raised nesting box. She can get down her ladder to food and water but I can't put water in the box for the chicks (it's not big enough and would get knocked over). Do I need to lift the chicks down to the water or will she be able to show them how to do it? She has 4 more eggs waiting to hatch so doesn't want to leave them. I am assuming the chicks need water straight away. Any advice appreciated!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

They don't need food or water for 3 days or so. Once everyone's hatched she'll take them all down and likely start testing with them on the ground level. Just check frequently to make sure none of them fall out before mama is ready to take them out.

 

[Silkie Hatcher]

They don't need food or water for 3 days or so. Once everyone's hatched she'll take them all down and likely start testing with them on the ground level. Just check frequently to make sure none of them fall out before mama is ready to take them out.

Thanks so much, that's reassuring! One other thing - my other hen likes to lay her eggs in this nesting box and has been barging her way in there throughout the incubation period. Today I have shut her out of the shed but she'll need to go back in tonight. I guess there is a danger they will fight and the chicks get hurt. Any advice on this?

 

[Toothpick]

The other hen forcing her way in there is a problem IMO. I had a broody hen sitting on 10 eggs. Just about every day I’d see a fight between the broody and other hens trying to get in there. A few times there were 2 in the box. I think this is what caused 3 of the eggs to crack prematurely and they were fertile eggs. So it cost me 3 chicks. I don’t know how to fix this short of moving the broody hen to her own coop or sectioning off a spot for her in the coop with the rest of the flock. Just provide her food and water.

As for the chicks in the nest box - mine hatched 3 in the box and through the advice given here I put a piece of cardboard in front of the box so they don’t fall out. Bout 6” high. When she was off her nest I simply helped the chicks down from the nest box. But that’s because I just had good timing and was checking on them. I’m sure if I hadn’t been around they would have jumped or she would have brought them down. I’ve saw her grab one by the neck and carry it across the coop once.