Chicks with mama on floor - how long until they roost?

[ShockValue]

We hatched 4 chicks about 1 month ago under a broody hen in the coop. Currently they are occupying a box on the floor of the coop with mama hen. All is going well.

I know at some point mama will kick 'kick them to the curb' and they will have to fend on their own. Is that when mama will start roosting again? Or will she roost sooner and expect the chicks to join her on the bar?


The reason this question has come up is that I have another broody hen and would like to give her a few chicks to hatch as well. But currently they wouldn't have any place to hatch/stay as the 1 month old chicks are still in the floor box.



Seems like I've been waiting for a broody for months and months, and now I have 2! I guess when it rains it pours

 

[pinkpeeps]

Depends on the hen. I had two broodies co-mother a batch that hatched a month ago. One of the hens quit and started laying again this week. The other is still with her chicks.
Maybe if you remove the nest she will teach her chicks to perch at night, then put the box back for the other broody.

 

[ShockValue]

Interesting idea taking the box away... I might have to try when I have a bit of time to watch and see what happens.

 

[Teila]

Hi ShockValue

I have a Bantam Cochin who has 2 x 8 week olds who she taught to roost approximately one week ago.

They have their own roost as they are currently separated from the main flock.

She started jumping up onto the roost when they were 6 weeks old but when she had worked out that they were not going to join her, she jumped back down. You could see her thinking “Ah well, maybe tomorrow night”. This went on for a week until they had worked it out.

If the roost is a shared roost, she may be reluctant to take her chicks up there with the rest of the flock. It also depends on the height of the roost.

Taking away the nest box is a good idea but I would add to that, if she does not take them to the main roost and tries sleeping on the floor with them, maybe try and rig her up a lower temporary roost for her and the bubs.

Having bantams breeds which are prone to broodiness, I hear ya with regards multiple broodies; I believe it is contagious

 

[ShockValue]

So just to see what happened I took away their nest box from the floor that they've been in since they hatched.

I went down just after dark, and this is what I discovered:



Maybe hard to see - but from left to right there is an OE, BCM under mom, and 2 AMs splitting the space between mom and one of our faverolles, Nina. (The other faverolles is in the nest box being broody...)

I want to call this success.. But I'm a bit concerned about them being warm enough (they're mostly feathered at this point, but not 100%)

 

[drumstick diva]

I do call it success, under and near mama, they will be warm enough. However if they roost is very high, they may get injured coming down ,unless they are very accustomed to takeoffs and landings. Sounds like mama is taking good care of them.