Need help! Nesting box up high- what do I do?

[Michaelafoor]

My nesting box is 3' off the floor in the coop. One chick hatched this morning and she's still got one more under her. Do I let her hatch that final egg before I try to move them all? I'm so scared the chick will fall out

 

[My Bagurks]

you can move them as long as you have a place that mama will feel is safe. My hens have all hatched eggs 2-3 feet off the ground. I keep a thick layer of bedding in the coop so there’s lots of cushion if they fell or jump. But mama is also able to tuck the babies under her wings like they do with eggs and transport them. It’s common in the wild for mama to hatch and then move everyone to the ground once the chicks get to moving around a lot.

If you have the space, leaning a 2x6 up to the box can work as a ramp for them as well.

 

[sourland]

I'd temporarily block off the nest box with wire until the second egg hatches. Then I would move the hen and chicks.

 

[Michaelafoor]

you can move them as long as you have a place that mama will feel is safe. My hens have all hatched eggs 2-3 feet off the ground. I keep a thick layer of bedding in the coop so there’s lots of cushion if they fell or jump. But mama is also able to tuck the babies under her wings like they do with eggs and transport them. It’s common in the wild for mama to hatch and then move everyone to the ground once the chicks get to moving around a lot.

If you have the space, leaning a 2x6 up to the box can work as a ramp for them as well.

So I actually tried to move her to a quiet corner where I have a brooder set up with food and water this morning and put egg and chick in with her and left for a few hours. I came back to her back in the nesting box and left baby and egg in the brooder. Should I try a dog kennel so she can be "locked" in for a day or two?

 

[My Bagurks]

That may be what you have to do. It may not make a difference, but try and take all the bedding from her nesting box and put it in the dog kennel. Make it as private as you can without making it too hot.