chicks in bad place?

[mfeldman51]

A silver Leghorn hen has been sitting a nest at the highest point in the barn---on top of the hay bales. Now the chicks are hatching. Will she be able to get them down to the ground? Has anyone had any experience with this? I am reluctant to move her (very nervous chicken by temperament) if she's likely to figure it out on her own.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I would definitely move her and the babies before they fall. I have only seen two hens raise chicks, but they didn't make sure they navigated the way down the ramp safely or anything. Is there a hutch you can put her and her babies in with food and water so she doesn't get any ideas of abandoning them? (Just for a couple of days until her family has hatched out and is one unit emotionally?

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

They aren't very adventurous for the first few days, they can see the edge, they do not want to go over it...if they do, they can't get back up. Even at a week old, they aren't going anywhere. I'd be ready with an alternate nesting spot though and once they are all hatched move them into it...there really isn't a rush though, other than peep out from under mama they aren't interesting in excursions

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

Chicks are pretty sturdy - depending on how high the nest is it probably wouldn't kill them, BUT it is not good for them to fall even if they were too survive it (and why risk it anyway???).

As stated above usually the first day they are pretty pooped from hatching - You might move the mother and her entourage at night after they hatch (even if she is flighty during the day, at night chickens turn very "stupid".

You should move them into a cage or hutch or pen where they are alone, so she can't abandon them (she might fly back up to the nest, where the babies can't get too yet).

 

[guineahen14]

My Serama hen hatched out 9 chicks in an Eglu cube, I waited until the last hatched and moved them to another pen where the babies could reach the ground easily. I knew those babies couldn't make it down the steep ladder to the ground. I had no problem moving them and in a few days they will be a month old.