First time and I have a predicament

[donrae]

You'll just need to look at your set up and see how the chicks will do. How high is the nesting box from the floor? Can the chicks get over the edge of the nesting box? Chicks in a hurry to keep up with momma might bail over the side, skipping the ramp entirely. While chicks can easily take a drop of a few feet and be just fine (they're all fluff!), more than that and I'd be looking at an alternate nesting site. Once momma hatches them, my broody hens have always just brooded the chicks on the ground. They pick a corner and sleep there with the chicks, mine never go back to the nest box.

I'm glad you got more eggs

. I always feel if a hen is going to go through being broody, I'm going to load her up! I'm always chick greedy lol.

 

[Realtree4]

Since I'm horrible at describing things, I'll show you a picture of my coop that they're in:



The coop is moved now, into a barn with a cement floor with straw on top of the cement. But the main door stays open so the other hens free range all day and the Mamma (See middle of the picture) is in the top part where the nesting boxes and roosts are. She's brooding in a nesting box which is on the "floor" of the upper box where they get locked into at night. But the food and water is all down below them.

Donrae - I'm definitely chick greedy!!! And my husband didn't even bat an eye when I told him I was going to pick up more!!! Hmmmmm, I guess he's getting used to my obsession

 

[Pooman]

Ooooo, the chicks will have a hard time getting back up, your going to need to provide either a separate area away from the flock (for the chicks safety and flock sanity from crazy mum) or at minimum somewhere down stairs the mum can nest with the chicks... Thats my 2 cents

 

[Realtree4]

Ooooo, the chicks will have a hard time getting back up, your going to need to provide either a separate area away from the flock (for the chicks safety and flock sanity from crazy mum) or at minimum somewhere down stairs the mum can nest with the chicks... Thats my 2 cents

Hmmmm, I'm not sure if I can get them downstairs and keep them safe day and night. Do you think if I cut that ramp in half and have my husband build a large "landing" half way down then continue the ramp to the ground? Do you think that would work better?

I thought about building a wall underneath the upper part and using that as the brooder, but it's constantly bright during the day because the barn door has to be open. And that coop CANNOT be moved again Plus, the hardware cloth has taken a huge beating because that coop and the chickens survived a tornado that hit out house last winter!!! The entire thing was thrown over 20 feet and flipped on its side. Which is why it's now located inside the barn.

I have 21 days to figure this out, just need to start putting a bug in my dear husbands

 

[Realtree4]

One has hatched!!!! And two days early at that! I'm wondering if it's because of the heat wave we have been having here?

Anyway, I have fortified an XL dog kennel to move the all into once the hatch is done and in the meantime I have blocked off the nexst with plywood so that the chicks cannot get to the open door. I put food and water in there for mamma because this heat and humidity is crazy!

So question....how long do I wait until I know it's safe to move them? I added the eggs under her 19 days ago and the first one hatched sometime today.

Oh, here's the first picture....I couldn't believe it, I went in to check for eggs from my other hens and I heard this strange peeping sound and low and behold....a little head was staring at me. So I quickly snapped a picture with my phone and backed away slowly

 

[Pooman]

You should leave her hatch where she is now. Until hatch is complete. Ive moved a broody during the incubation before, but would do it when she is hatching.

Do it at night. Try not to use a torch, or keep it low if u need (cover most of the end with your hand) and just swipe out the whole crate that she is in now, looks easy. But wait until they have hatched and she brings,them of the nest for the first time, do it that evening.

Congrats on the chick, more to come hopefully

 

[Realtree4]

They all hatched!!!! Every single egg hatched!!!!! e

Now we just have to wait until tonight and move them! She's such a good mamma!!! Bad thing is that the nest she was on is infested with mites so we have to move them and take care of that all at the same time But we have 9 new babies!

Pictures will follow tomorrow