Nesting boxes too high for chicks?

[sharie7396]

We have 5 hens and 1 rooster...all free range. Our miss broody is about to hatch some chicks ...no idea how many..she's got 15 eggs she's sitting on!

I'm worried about the height of their boxes. The lowest ones are approximately 2-3 feet off the floor. Should we build a ramp? I don't feel I can move the hen with eggs at this point as they're ready any day now! This will be our first babies and I don't want them all to fall and perish.

Any and all advice is much appreciated!

 

[Poultry parent]

you can block them into the nesting box and then when all the chicks are hatched move them to safer ground

 

[sharie7396]

How long should I wait once they're hatched? I've seen a couple posts that suggest 3 days?

 

[sharie7396]

Also...she keeps adding eggs! She's got 17 now when I just checked. How can I prevent more chicks?

 

[Poultry parent]

when they are dry and the mother seems like she wants to get down. the chicks can go 1-2 day without food

 

[SunHwaKwon]

You mark the eggs so you know which to remove.