Question about broodys with new chicks.

[kyle7630]

I have two broody hens who's eggs have started hatching (5 so far). The thing that concerns me is that the nesting box is about 20 inches above the floor of the coop, and I worry about how the chicks will do once the hen starts going in and out of the coop. Do they try to follow her up and down that jump? It seems awful high for them. If they can't get back to the upper level, will she stay in the bottom with them? Has anyone else had this concern? Will they all just hang out in the lower nesting boxes? TIA.

 

[kyle7630]

Anybody?

 

[wcountrywoman]

I'm not much help I have questions similar to yours, I have the same thing going on my hen is in a very high nest and so far only one chick has hatched, I'm concerned about the drop but mostly about getting back!? Should I take the chick so as to make sure it's getting feed and water and just put it under a heat lamp?

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

Can you put a wide ramp for them? cause they will follow her to eat , I guess once they're out she may sit on the floor with them, maybe make her a little box down low that she can sit in with them....mine always sit on the bottom of the coop in a secluded area, I guess they know to, idk

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

Quote:
Leave the baby with her, he has up to a few days before he needs to eat, I never take mine away from mama

 

[sheila3935]

I moved my broody early into incubation. She was in a high nest and I was worried about when they hatched so now her and the babies are safe on the floor in a little coop we bought to house my DD's bantams in this winter. She brought them out in the coop for a little bit yesterday. They hatched Thursday.

 

[Lollipop]

Fine time to be concerned about this. Don`t mean to be harsh, but so many folks do the same thing. That said, they will probably stay on the nest today to let all the chicks hatch and dry. TONIGHT, remove them from the nest and place them on the floor. Block off the nest so the hens can`t get back in there. Even a ramp won`t help as not all the chicks will find their way back up the ramp. The hens will NOT leave the ones that are successful to try and rescue the stupid ones. They will be left in the cold and die. Your only chance is to remove them ALL from the nest, in the dark and reunite them on the floor. BE SURE to block off the nest. They should be fine on the floor with the hens...........Pop

 

[wcountrywoman]

Ok I'll agree I may not have it all figured out. I wanted chickens for the eggs, and I guess to carry on a family tradition, but my Dad is gone and I'm just kind of flying by the seat of my pants. Zero Experience!! That being said I have already found this web site to be very helpful. I got Wyandotte chicks last fall and purposely got them for laying brown eggs and because they will set and hatch more chicks. Well they want to set alright, I was on a roll with eggs even having enough to sell a few doz. Now everybody wants to set and my production is down to just a few eggs a day out of 13 hens(Thank goodness for my banty I wouldn't hardly have enough for myself). Then comes the problem I started with, 1 chick hatched in a high nest, the rest haven't hatched as of late yesterday-I think #1 is gone(couldn't find him last night under mom to save my neck) so I'm not 100% sure what happened -but not good. So now what do any of you recommend, please try to be kind -I am just recently hatched myself--or maybe that was just cracked!! Thanks for your help

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

I have moved hens before but have waited till they hatch, Ive never moved one after just one or two hatched out because I didnt want to upset the mom and risk her not hatching the others....but Ive never had mine take their babies out of the nest till the rest were hatched out....If you think she won't be upset by moving her into a crate or on the coop floor somewhere safe than I guess do it, but I would still wait. I hope the little guy was hiding under her wing or something like that and nothing got him, they do snuggle in good and can be missed sometimes. I have peeping under my hen now so I know she has at least one under there but she Won't get up so I can see, my girls sit tight till they've hatched em all.

 

[IroquoisEgg]

I had the same problem last week, although I did get them moved before hatch time, get the eggs that haven't hatched, put them in the lower nest, pick up mama and put her on top of them. If you can't see the new baby it may still be huddled up under her wing, especially if its a wyandotte mama. I have picked up my silkie mama and the chicks go right along with her cause she holds them under her wings. Could be the new baby is snuggled up under there. My wyandotte had 2 babies and for days I could only see one when I looked! After you move her, step out and spy on her to see what she does. Hopefully, she will stay on that nest. I then used shavings to build a hill big enough to allow for the chicks to get in and out of the nest as my lower ones are still about 12 inches off the ground.