CJClucks
Songster
Newish chicken owner here. I have had 5 hens for about a year. One is broody so I got three fertilized eggs from a friend and she's sitting on them. I'm only a week in so we'll see if it's successful but I'm thinking ahead & want to be prepared. We have a raised coop, about 2-3 feet off the ground with a ramp. Do I need to worry about the chicks falling out of the coop once hatched or will mom make sure they don't try to exit until they're able to get out safely & back in? Nesting box is not raised inside the coop. I have a dog crate I could put them in after hatching on the ground outside the coop if that would be better? My chickens free range inside a fenced area with a few goats & a great pyrenees livestock guardian so I feel like they would (probably) be safe in the crate but my preference would be leaving them in the coop unless that's dangerous.