New Babies in Nest Box

[shadowsanders]

Our broody hen successfully hatched a chick just now (3 more eggs still under her). She is sitting in a nest box that is about 18" off the floor. We'd like to leave her and the babies in with the flock but how will they get in and out of the box? Will a ramp work?

Can we just put chick food and a chick waterer in the box? She is on wood shavings now. Someone said we need to cover the shavings with paper towels so they can find their food and won't eat the shavings???

Will the others hurt the babies? (4 hens and a rooster - none of which are aggressive).

Should we just remove her and the chicks until they are bigger? Will it then be more difficult to re-integrate them with the flock?

We want to let her do this on her own if possible, but if we have to move them, we will.

Any and all advice would be wonderful!

 

[Avalon1984]

First of all

I would separate mom and the babies untilt they are bigger just in case

 

[Bookworm chick]

Quote:
I agree. We usually wait until they're about 4 weeks old. Our broody box is in the coop so they could see each other. I usually let the mom and chicks out in the coop for a few hours in the daytime (I shut the rooster and other hens out in the run if the weather isn't bad).

 

[shadowsanders]

OK, we moved mom and chick and remaining eggs into a large dog kennel with a layer of chicken wire around the sides so the babies can't slip out. Everyone seems happy with that arrangement