Mum not leaving nest

[Toshiko24]

Hey @Samtul was just wondering how your babies are doing. Mom finally decide her legs work yet?

 

[Samtul]

Thanks for asking. They are all doing fine I hardly ever see Mum move, but I know she does!
I know I said I would relax, I finally did when I put a Go Pro camera in Mum still sitting, but chicks hopping about, eating and drinking.
I'm putting them in a bigger outside run at the weekend, maybe that will get her up a bit more!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm curious if the hen sat the normal 3 weeks incubating or had she been sitting for some time before she got eggs?

 

[Samtul]

She was sitting for a couple of days on quite a few eggs. I then removed all the eggs apart from 6 polish, we have a polish cockerel and she is a Black Rock.
I have seen her up a couple of times, but when I pass her, several times a day, she is sitting, with the chicks jumping around her, or under her. I just expected her to be up a bit more!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have to agree. Do they have outside access?
Unless it was extremely cold or inclement weather, normally after a week, a hen would be outside showing the chicks how to be a chicken.

 

[Samtul]

We are finishing outside run today, so hopefully that will help

 

[Samtul]

We have moved coop, it now has a grass run. She is much happier, up and scratching around a lot more.
Unfortunately, before we moved them, I found a dead chick, looked perfect, but dead so just two left now.
One thing the chicks have been doing for days now, is jumping on Mum's back, a long way to fall, especially when she is walking around now! Is this normal?!

 

[bobbi-j]

We have moved coop, it now has a grass run. She is much happier, up and scratching around a lot more.
Unfortunately, before we moved them, I found a dead chick, looked perfect, but dead so just two left now.
One thing the chicks have been doing for days now, is jumping on Mum's back, a long way to fall, especially when she is walking around now! Is this normal?!

Oh yeah, chicks climb all over their mamas all the time. I missed something - are they in an elevated coop? How far is “a long way to fall”

 

[50-45-1]

Yes, chicks explore the immediate area around Mom and hopping up on her back is normal.
They will not hurt themselves.
This activity helps them gain balance and agility. They sound healthy and active.
Congratulations!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When one doesn't have the facilities ready before birds arrive, one can lose birds.

Do not worry about a tumble of a few feet. Chicks and other precocial bird species are extremely durable. Barnacle geese build nests atop 400' cliffs. When its time to leave the nest, the mother goose flies down and the chicks follow. That's akin to a chick jumping off the 29 story US Bank Tower in Sacramento. Except that the goslings hit many jagged rocks on the way down and then walk away with the mom.