Help! Not sure if I should move hen/chicks?

[WyoWoman]

Hey! Have a broody Buff mama with 5 new chicks. However, they're all in a nesting box above the ground. (About 2.5 feet up). It's been 24 hours; they haven't been out of the box. Don't they need food and water? Should I move the little family to a nest on the ground?

I'm inclined to let nature take its course and trust the hen, but I'm looking for advice...

Should I leave them or move them?

 

[Judy]

I probably couldn't stand it and would have to move them, but they should be fine on their own, lol. Plenty of chicks have hatched in old fashioned barn hay lofts, and jumped 10 or 15 feet, or whatever it is.

 

[Odelia]

Yes they need to have access to food and water and no they will not be able to get back up the 2.5 feet to return to their nest. Chickens are not like mamma cats or other animals. They do not pick up their chicks in their mouth and transport them to locations. They can only peck and cluck and kick. Keep in mind in nature they would have made their nest on the ground. If you don't want them to return to the nest to sleep then I imagine you can leave them where they are now. Are there still eggs in the nest you are hoping will hatch? If not they could just jump down when the hen leaves the nest.

 

[WyoWoman]

Nope, that's it. Five.
I have set up a little nest area with water/food accessible for chicks on the ground, assuming that when they make the jump, it's for good.
But I'm afraid she'll just keep sitting on them and they'll die. This might be irrational, I realize, but I'm flipflopping every ten minutes as to if I should move them or not.

 

[WyoWoman]

I know! Can't stand it, but I think I might just leave them. There is food and water and another little nesting box on the ground that I set up for when they do jump out. I'm just hoping they make the move soon....?!
How long can they go without food and water? Do you know?

 

[Odelia]

Plenty of chicks have hatched in old fashioned barn hay lofts, and jumped 10 or 15 feet, or whatever it is.

It is true that there would be plenty of chicks that would make it. Your flock would continue just fine. What percentage of chicks would get lost or injured or left behind though? 15 Feet is quite a fall. I personally would not worry about 2.5 feet.

 

[Odelia]

I know! Can't stand it, but I think I might just leave them. There is food and water and another little nesting box on the ground that I set up for when they do jump out. I'm just hoping they make the move soon....?!
How long can they go without food and water? Do you know?

They often get shipped as day old chicks and have to go 1-3 days with no food or water. They are still fine.

 

[WyoWoman]

Okay, thank you so much for your reply!
I've got a secondary nest with food and water set up on the ground in the event that they leave the nesting box. Hoping she sets up shop down below, as you're right, they wouldn't get back up in the nesting box they're in now.
Crossing my fingers.....

 

[Odelia]

Okay, thank you so much for your reply!
I've got a secondary nest with food and water set up on the ground in the event that they leave the nesting box. Hoping she sets up shop down below, as you're right, they wouldn't get back up in the nesting box they're in now.
Crossing my fingers.....

If she has not moved them by tomorrow you can reevaluate then.

 

[WyoWoman]

Hey thanks for your feedback today.
I went out just now to bring some scratch for evening treats - and that big buff couldn't help herself - she hopped down to get scratch, and I jumped on the opportunity and moved the babies to the floor to the new nesting area - they drank and ate and milled about - and she clucked and got them all settled under her again after a few minutes. I hope/think she's going to be a good mama.
Unfortunately, one she was sitting on was dead - I removed him - but some chick loss is to be expected, at least in my experience. Hoping the other 4 make it!
Thanks again for your time.