Nest boxes not for hatching?

MuscovyMad

Chirping
9 Years
Dec 2, 2010
209
0
99
Hey. I have . . . some sort of coop, not sure exactly. And it has two nest boxes attached to the door about 1 foot up. They are being used by the hens for laying. My question is can the hen hatch eggs in these nests? Or will the chicks get injured when they have to make the descet down to the floor of the coop? Do hens return to the nest every night with their chicks? Cause surely there is no way the chicks can fly 1 foot up at day 1.
 
She can hatch eggs just about anywhere, certainly in their nest box. She might look for another place to collect eggs and hatch them, too. If she has access, she may go under a bush or something similar to nest. The chicks will make the descent to the coop floor just fine; chicks have dropped from hay lofts without injury. They probably won't be able to fly up a foot in one day, but they will a few days later. Meanwhile, mama will make a bed for them somewhere else. If there is hay or leaves or some sort of bedding on the floor, she will probably make a nest in it. If she had some small container with hay available, like a cardboard box or plastic bin, she might use that. She will find a place to cover her chicks at night, anyway.
 

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