Need advice on hen hatching her chicks in nesting box...should I move her?

[dashfox]

My silkie hen has hatched 3 out of her 8 eggs in her nesting box and I can see signs of others beginning to hatch. Her nesting box is off the floor and I'm afraid to leave her there tonight when the others come in the coop. My fear is one of the babies will fall out, get hurt from falling, injured by another chicken or not make it back to the nest to be warm with it's mama. I don't know if I should try to set something up on the floor of the coop that will keep them together and protected for fear that she may desert the eggs that are/may hatch. I'm not sure what would be a good set up. Would she still need to be able to get out or is it fine to be completely closed off. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you so much!

Debbie

 

[AmericanMom]

two weeks ago my hen hatched all 5 of her chicks in a coop box 5 foot off the floor...They did fine, she jumped down and called for everyone and eventually they made the leap... A couple days before they were due to hatch I made sure there was extra straw and pine shavings on the floor to soften the blow but they were all fine

 

[AmericanMom]

Also, just watch, if she leaves the eggs candle and see if they are viable, if so put them in an incubator... PS.. the momma didn't take her babies back to that nest instead choosing a box closer to the floor.. I have 42 hens and 3 roosters, everyone gives her a wide berth.

 

[dashfox]

Thank you so much! So when they made it to the floor, your other chickens didn't bother them?

 

[Farmer Viola]

My silkie hen has hatched 3 out of her 8 eggs in her nesting box and I can see signs of others beginning to hatch. Her nesting box is off the floor and I'm afraid to leave her there tonight when the others come in the coop. My fear is one of the babies will fall out, get hurt from falling, injured by another chicken or not make it back to the nest to be warm with it's mama. I don't know if I should try to set something up on the floor of the coop that will keep them together and protected for fear that she may desert the eggs that are/may hatch. I'm not sure what would be a good set up. Would she still need to be able to get out or is it fine to be completely closed off. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank you so much!

Debbie

I agree, they won't be able to get back in the nest if it's up off the ground. I would move her, preferrably at night.

for my broody, I made a thick straw nest within a cat carrier and removed the door off the carrier. then I put the carrier inside a big metal dog krate, on the ground. I used sand flooring in it from her coop, a food and water dish, and gave room to walk around. I also covered it with a tarp for privacy and shade. this was her private area, and I moved her there right before the chicks hatched on day 19 or 20 and it worked great! make sure to do it after dark if you do make her a 'broody apartment.' I left her and the chicks in there for the first two days, then opened it up and she started slowly leading them out.

 

[AmericanMom]

Thank you so much! So when they made it to the floor, your other chickens didn't bother them?

It may be my flock dynamics but my chickens are so use to new additions they really don't, a good brood hen worth her weight will keep others at bay, if she doesn't then I probably would remove her and the babies otherwise they should be fine. All roost in the same coop at night the no issues.