Mother Hen just quit! Need heat for 5.5 wk old chicks tonight?

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's exactly what it is. Mama hens know a thing or two about brooding and raising chicks. My broodies have always known exactly how much time they can spend away from their eggs each day, when the chicks need heat, food and water, and when to cut them loose. Trust Mother Nature.

 

[junglebird]

Mama is pecking at the chicks when they come close to her. Tough love! Funny, they slept more during the day yesterday than I've ever seen - must have been a long night, on their own for the first time.

I put a couple of roosts in the dog crate, and also added a couple of pint sized roosts in the main coop. I figure between the 2 sets they'll make the move from huddling in the nest to roosting as they're ready.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

I have two chicks, just 4 wks old, and was worried about the same thing. Last night Mama went up on the roosts and one chick got up there. The second chick couldn't make it up that high and ended up spending the night with a different hen that is broody and in the nest box. They definitely figure SOMETHING out!