My hen hatched 3 chicks Thursday and Friday. They are in with the other hens in a raised coop about 3 feet off the ground. Mom and babies are in a nest box on the floor of the coop. I'm worried about them falling out of the coop. When would it be ok to let them have access to the ramp to go in and out with mom? And about how long before mom wants to take them outside? I don't think she has come out of her box for a couple days. They have their own food and water in the box. Sorry for all the questions, first time letting a hen do the work for me and first time broody.
Raising chicks with flock in raised coop- need suggestions
- Thread starter mlh328
- Start date
I’d put chick starter in all the feeders unless you have ones the chicks can’t access with separate oyster shell for the big girls. Don’t want the chicks to accidentally eat layer feed. Find a safe way for them to get down without falling/low ramp asap, mom will want to integrate them & teach them & having one fall or not be able to get back up would be awful. Congrats on the new additions!
Can you add temporary sides to the ramp? Or fashion a saftey net under the ramp, maybe a sheet folded lengthwise to act as a saftey net with the bottom end to the ground, sort of like a shoot???
2467
Chirping
- Dec 4, 2020
- 22
- 30
- 59
I am going to add “sides” to my ramp for my chicks using thrifted shelving like i used to make a guard rail around the coop door opening so my babies don’t fall out. Ill take it away at age 3 weeks. The guard rail keeps the coop accessible to both the rest of my flock and for the mother to jump over the rail run out grab a treat and go back in. It’s worked very well and temporary Lee held together with zip ties.
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2467
Chirping
- Dec 4, 2020
- 22
- 30
- 59
Using these recycled shelving unit found at thrift store to add safety sides to my ramp for my chicks safety
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At that age (days old), they really need to be kept away from heights, though a fall or two likely won't hurt them. Once they're more steady on their feet and moving around without the clumsiness of young chicks, then I'd consider introducing them to the ramp.
When we have chicks that hatch under a momma hen, they go to our ICU coop, which has an upper level with nesting boxes, a roost bar, a door to the "downstairs", and a way to close that same door to the lower level.
For the first week or so, we'll keep that door closed with the chicks and momma hen confined to the upstairs with food and water. Only during supervised "outside" time do the chicks come out with momma hen, and we bring them out by hand; we don't let them try to navigate the stairs down..
Once they're starting to show signs of strength and agility, somewhere toward the end of the first week and into the second week, we'll start teaching the chicks about the stairs to the upper portion, but we teach them to go up first, so they know where they're going. They'll also watch momma go up the stairs too, and they learn quickly. Once they've learned to go up, coming down is easy.
When we have chicks that hatch under a momma hen, they go to our ICU coop, which has an upper level with nesting boxes, a roost bar, a door to the "downstairs", and a way to close that same door to the lower level.
For the first week or so, we'll keep that door closed with the chicks and momma hen confined to the upstairs with food and water. Only during supervised "outside" time do the chicks come out with momma hen, and we bring them out by hand; we don't let them try to navigate the stairs down..
Once they're starting to show signs of strength and agility, somewhere toward the end of the first week and into the second week, we'll start teaching the chicks about the stairs to the upper portion, but we teach them to go up first, so they know where they're going. They'll also watch momma go up the stairs too, and they learn quickly. Once they've learned to go up, coming down is easy.
I see the OP was over 3 weeks ago: How did it go @mlh328 ?
My broodies start them foraging outside the day after they hatch - and falling isn't an issue (unless it's onto concrete; have you seen ducklings jumping out of tree nests?); getting them to follow mum back in at the end of the day is the challenge. They will go left, right, behind, on then off again, under etc. trying to follow mum's chirps, and it takes them a few days to work it out even on a short ramp. I know I have to intervene if mum comes back down and they're all huddled under the coop for the night!
My broodies start them foraging outside the day after they hatch - and falling isn't an issue (unless it's onto concrete; have you seen ducklings jumping out of tree nests?); getting them to follow mum back in at the end of the day is the challenge. They will go left, right, behind, on then off again, under etc. trying to follow mum's chirps, and it takes them a few days to work it out even on a short ramp. I know I have to intervene if mum comes back down and they're all huddled under the coop for the night!
- Thread starter
- #9
Their mom kept them up in the coop for maybe a week before bringing them outside even though they had access. Coming down the ramp was pretty easy but they had a hard time figuring out how to go back up the ramp for a while so it was like a flea circus trying to help her get them back in for bed but now they've got it figured out. They are too funny now they get to the top of the ramp and flap their wings like mad as if they're going to take flight and just jump for it. Cracks me up.
'like a flea circus' is a great description! glad to hear it all worked out 
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