Need Help asap! Have a silky thats had chicks and want to leave them be but the baby almost fell o

[Jeneric1013]

Hope someone on here can help me quick. I am really new to chickens (only had since May this year) and our silky went broody and I gave in and let her sit on eggs. Have one baby out, one cracking out as we speak and 3 more eggs under her. I put a board up on the bottom by the coup door and thought all would be well. Went to check on her today and she went out to eat. The baby walked up to the board and jumped!!! I was glad I was there and caught it:/ What do I do???? I want her to raise them naturally but don't want a baby chick to die either. It is cold here (low 20's tonight) or I would take her and move her to the ground (assuming I could move the eggs) to a kennel but then it would be her against the cold the others would go in the coup. I don't want to remove momma and the babies and have to chance reintroducing them. Any help would be great. Going to post a pic in a few of what our set up looks like. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[appps]

So your saying it tried to follow her outside? They are going to have to do that because they aren't going to survive inside without her either. If you shut them inside and she stays out for half an hour eating and wandering your going to have dead chicks. It's really not a good time to hatch.

Mine was an early spring chick so not same cold but she will stop constantly to let them huddle under her and it's toasty warm under there. Their best chance of survival will be with their mother. I don't think it's realistic to try and confine her in kennel just so she doesn't take the chicks out as it's going to take weeks and weeks and weeks before they won't need her heat outside and they will quickly outgrow the kennel and will aclimatise quicker with her outside before the coldest part of winter hits. If they've been kept toasty warm in a kennel then outgrow it in the middle of winter it's going to be an even bigger problem suddenly putting them in that cold.

I would look at adding wind breaks and if icy ground perhaps straw over it. It's the wind chill and wet that is the biggest danger.

 

[Jeneric1013]

I know they need to follow momma hen and that's what I want BUT my concern is that our coup is 3feet high. Don't want the chick to plunge to death:/ not sure what people do with chicks and raised coops. Are they smart enough to use the ramp or will it just em walk over and fall off? Or what can I do to help but not intervene too much.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I know they need to follow momma hen and that's what I want BUT my concern is that our coup is 3feet high. Don't want the chick to plunge to death:/ not sure what people do with chicks and raised coops. Are they smart enough to use the ramp or will it just em walk over and fall off? Or what can I do to help but not intervene too much.

A 3 ft fall will not normanally hurt a chick, but some hay or a soft blanket below the nest can help. The biggest problem is at night----if she goes back into a 3ft high nest and they or some stay on the dirt----they will die. Check a little before dark to see that they are all with mom. Mom will usually stay on the dirt if she knows they can not get back in the nest, but not always. Good Luck!.

 

[Jeneric1013]

Glad to hear that. It just looks like A baby falling off a building! Haha I stayed out last night and made sure they were all in and they were I saw baby peep out from under her. I will make a soft landing incase it does fall. I will be so happy when I see the little ones learn the ramp. Next time they will all be in a bigger better coop. We are going bigger in a month or so. Thanks for all the help.

 

[aart]

Leave the coop door shut and food and water nearby for at least a few days after they all hatch.

 

[Jeneric1013]

I put a board up at the front of the coop allowing momma and the hens and rooster to come and go but the chicks can't get out. The other eggs haven't hatched so might just end up with the two chicks. I have also put food and water in the coop right by the corner where momma has taken over. I have been going out three times a day to check on them all. I sat the babies down on the ground with the momma today while I was out there. I am so new at this so trying to handle it as I go. I watched the other hens and the rooster. None of them seemed too interested in the babies which is good I think. They are so tiny, seem smaller than the day old that we got the others at, lol. Would still appreciate any other advice you guys have. The momma had 3 more eggs she way laying on and she pushed them out a few days ago and wouldn't take them back. I read on here that means something was probably wrong:/

 

[PD-Riverman]

I put a board up at the front of the coop allowing momma and the hens and rooster to come and go but the chicks can't get out. The other eggs haven't hatched so might just end up with the two chicks. I have also put food and water in the coop right by the corner where momma has taken over. I have been going out three times a day to check on them all. I sat the babies down on the ground with the momma today while I was out there. I am so new at this so trying to handle it as I go. I watched the other hens and the rooster. None of them seemed too interested in the babies which is good I think. They are so tiny, seem smaller than the day old that we got the others at, lol. Would still appreciate any other advice you guys have. The momma had 3 more eggs she way laying on and she pushed them out a few days ago and wouldn't take them back. I read on here that means something was probably wrong:/

First, you Should not block the chicks from their mother----they will die unless you are keeping the area they are in close 100 degree's. Second if the hen has been getting off the nest where the eggs are for a while------throw those eggs away, they are not going to hatch---they will rot and explode. Good Luck!

 

[Jeneric1013]

Where the coop is we can watch all day. This momma has been very stubborn and barely leaves for more than 3-4 mins a day to eat. Had been that way since she went broody. She has been really good w the chicks and letting me help out. I take some mealworms in my hand and give them to her also. The babies have already started to eat on their own. It's awesome watching her present food to them and get them to eat!