How big (in feet) is your coop? How big (in feet) is your run? How big (in inches) is your nest? Can you provide photos of the coop and run, including the ramp and the nest? It would help to know what you are working with.
I've seen a broody hen get her chicks down from a 10 feet high hayloft. She said jump and they did, then jumped up and ran to her. I've regularly had hens hatch in nests 2' and 4' above the coop floor. The chicks get down without being injured, but they cannot get back up in the nests so the hen takes them to sleep on the coop floor. I do not anticipate any problem from them falling off of the ramp.
Where they may have a problem is getting back up. What often happens the first few nights is that the hen goes to the top of the ramp (often flies up) and calls them. Instead of going to the base of the ramp and walking up they run under her and cannot get up there. You need to be out there the first few nights to help them up until you are confident they can manage on their own. Or provide a predator-safe place where the hen and chicks can sleep.
Layer feed contains too much calcium for the chicks to safely grow up on. If your hens are eating Layer the chicks will also, you cannot keep them out of it. What most of us do when we have immature chicks in with laying hens that do need the calcium is to provide them all the same low-calcium feed and offer oyster shell on the side for the hens that need the extra calcium for eggshells. They will all probably peck at the oyster shell, the growing chicks need calcium too, but they generally do not eat enough calcium to harm themselves. They are usually pretty good at self-regulating.
Welcome to the journey. It can be a lot of fun but it can also be stressful. Good luck!
I've seen a broody hen get her chicks down from a 10 feet high hayloft. She said jump and they did, then jumped up and ran to her. I've regularly had hens hatch in nests 2' and 4' above the coop floor. The chicks get down without being injured, but they cannot get back up in the nests so the hen takes them to sleep on the coop floor. I do not anticipate any problem from them falling off of the ramp.
Where they may have a problem is getting back up. What often happens the first few nights is that the hen goes to the top of the ramp (often flies up) and calls them. Instead of going to the base of the ramp and walking up they run under her and cannot get up there. You need to be out there the first few nights to help them up until you are confident they can manage on their own. Or provide a predator-safe place where the hen and chicks can sleep.
That's why I'm really interested in the size. It may not be big enough for the new chicks, either while they are with the broody, after the broody weans them and leaves them on their own, or after they mature. They often need a lot more room after the broody weans them but before they mature than they will after they mature. This may be your most critical time.
Layer feed contains too much calcium for the chicks to safely grow up on. If your hens are eating Layer the chicks will also, you cannot keep them out of it. What most of us do when we have immature chicks in with laying hens that do need the calcium is to provide them all the same low-calcium feed and offer oyster shell on the side for the hens that need the extra calcium for eggshells. They will all probably peck at the oyster shell, the growing chicks need calcium too, but they generally do not eat enough calcium to harm themselves. They are usually pretty good at self-regulating.
Welcome to the journey. It can be a lot of fun but it can also be stressful. Good luck!
