chicks safety

[vent]

my broody is upstairs with her chicks, should i worry about the chicks falling down the stairs when they hatch? i have to leave it open cos the food and water is downstairs?

thanks

 

[Mrs. K]

nope, chickens have been known to hatch out chicks in hay lofts, and get the babies down when the time comes. If it worries you put a pile of hay underneath.

Mrs K

 

[centrarchid]

We used to have hens hatch in hay lofts and fall unscathed more than 12 feet. Owing to setup a fall of 100 feet would not have been a problem. The biggest challenge involves the brood being more likely to become separated with some up and some down. This increases the odds of accidental abandonment. What I like to do is move brood to box once piping begins and keeping them their until all hatched and mobile, then turn box over or bring them down yourself.

Hatching in such elevated location during heat of summer is often associated with poor hatch especially when overly warm prior to start of incubation. It can also increase dispersion of hatch time which is not good either.

 

[Mrs. K]

I wondered about the temperature, last July, I had a broody go, and gave her eggs, but we had several days in the high 90's and over 100.... very, very poor hatch rate as in none.