Hey y'all! I need some help from the experienced folks out there!
I have a broody hen and we have two hatchlings (2 days old now)
Chicky #1:
Chicky #2:
Went out to check on mama and babies to find them on the ground. My nesting area is approximately 3.5 ft above the ground and I was actually planning on building a different type ladder so the chicks could get down when it was time. So, my first question is, how did they get down? Did mama actually bring them down? Or did they topple out? I don't see how they could topple out because the frame is about 4-5" tall.
Well, I grabbed the little chicks and put them in a hen house closer to the ground and then put mama in. She seemed happy enough. But of course when the other hens and roos heard my voice they all came running because this was the time I check for new eggs, change out the water and refresh food dishes. I turned my back literally for a second and Rocky ran into the hen house and tried to mate with Sunshine. I yanked him out of there because mama was fighting and babies were getting stepped on. This all happened in a matter of a few minutes but seemed like quite a while. Anyway, all is well, and I've closed the coop so mama and babies can do what they want without "threat".
My next question is, should I put the three of them back in the original nest? There are still several eggs in there. Should I move the eggs to where I put mama and babies? Is she abandoning the nest to care for the two babies?
Any guidance is GREATLY WELCOMED!