Moving a brooding hen and chicks

[Angela-leilani]

I have a brooding hen that has hatched one chick. She is still working on hatching her other eggs. She is in a nesting box that is about 2 1/2 to 3 feet off the ground. Can I move her at night into a dog crate that is on the ground with her unhatched eggs and her one chick without disturbing her? Or what would be the best thing to do? The nesting box is not big enough for me to put water and chick food in it. Thanks for any advice as this is new territory to me!

 

[nuthatched]

The chick can go a day or two without food and water, so it will likely be fine.
I would be concerned about falling out though. Can the nest box it's self be moved? Some hens stick with it after moving, some don't, do you have a back up plan in case she decides she's done?

 

[Angela-leilani]

The chick can go a day or two without food and water, so it will likely be fine.
I would be concerned about falling out though. Can the nest box it's self be moved? Some hens stick with it after moving, some don't, do you have a back up plan in case she decides she's done?

Nesting box can’t be moved. I blocked the opening with a piece of wood so the chick can’t fall out but hen can get out still. It is day 1 for the first chick so I will see how many hatch tomorrow. I will then move the hen and any chicks/unhatched eggs at night to her new nest in the dog crate. We will see what happens, I guess.

 

[WIchickMama]

How did the move go? Anymore chicks hatch? Did the hen stay with the nest?

 

[Angela-leilani]

How did the move go? Anymore chicks hatch? Did the hen stay with the nest?

No, only one chick hatched and Momma Hen is a great mom. I have fertile eggs under another hen so we will see how that attempt goes!

 

[DebbieMarler]

I one had a hen that hatched her chicks in the barn loft in the haystack. She flew down and called them. All of them jumped about 8 feet to t he ground, bounced and went with her. I decided chicks were invincible after seeing that!

 

[Angela-leilani]

I am beginning to think that I was too concerned! I need to let nature take its course!

 

[PopoMyers]

I one had a hen that hatched her chicks in the barn loft in the haystack. She flew down and called them. All of them jumped about 8 feet to t he ground, bounced and went with her. I decided chicks were invincible after seeing that!

Thank you for sharing! I will leave my little family right in the coop!