When should they roost?

[Harmoni]

Babies that are 5 weeks old today. Mama is still broody with them and they are still sleeping in a nest box. Should I take the nest away? She brings them to ved earlier than the other chickens go to roost. If I take her nest away, is she just going to being them to a nest box that is for laying? We added a brooder nest box when we got the hatching eggs.

 

[Anime2lover]

Babies that are 5 weeks old today. Mama is still broody with them and they are still sleeping in a nest box. Should I take the nest away? She brings them to ved earlier than the other chickens go to roost. If I take her nest away, is she just going to being them to a nest box that is for laying? We added a brooder nest box when we got the hatching eggs.

When being raised by a momma she will naturally teach them to roost when she thinks their ready.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I keep low (4-8" above the floor) roosts in my brooders. Broody hens will roost again once the chicks are fledged and no longer need her for heat.

My incubated chicks later raised under heat lamps will be curious and start "roosting" as early as 3-4wks but only if the temperature is desirable over the roosts.
Even pullets that have never roosted before will instinctively seek high ground to sleep and eventually figure it out.

 

[Harmoni]

I keep low (4-8" above the floor) roosts in my brooders. Broody hens will roost again once the chicks are fledged and no longer need her for heat.

My incubated chicks later raised under heat lamps will be curious and start "roosting" as early as 3-4wks but only if the temperature is desirable over the roosts.
Even pullets that have never roosted before will instinctively seek high ground to sleep and eventually figure it out.

I live in FL. It was 86 degrees at 8 last night and they were still in the nest box
My poor mama was panting.

 

[Anime2lover]

I live in FL. It was 86 degrees at 8 last night and they were still in the nest box
My poor mama was panting.

Momma will know when their ready. Trust her instincts. If you feel it necessary you could take her out and put her in a dog crate or something with a low roost instead of a nesting box. That way they can have free choice without having to worry about her flockmates bothering the chicks.