When to move broody and chicks

[Sabrina24]

We have an Australorp who has been broody for 10 days now. Last year when we moved her to the ground she stayed there and hatched with no problems. We moved her a couple days ago and after about 24 hours she moved back up to a nesting box. She is no longer in a favorite box so we don't mind if she stays there. Our plan is to try and introduce chicks to her. Assuming she accepts them, when should we move them to the ground? I know to put the chicks under her after dark, but can we move them the next morning to the floor of the coop?

 

[daxigait]

We have an Australorp who has been broody for 10 days now.  Last year when we moved her to the ground she stayed there and hatched with no problems.  We moved her a couple days ago and after about 24 hours she moved back up to a nesting box.  She is no longer in a favorite box so we don't mind if she stays there.  Our plan is to try and introduce chicks to her.  Assuming she accepts them, when should we move them to the ground?  I know to put the chicks under her after dark, but can we move them the next morning to the floor of the coop?  

if you don't have some sort of sectioned-off caged area for her and the chicks have you considered just installing some sort of the ramp

 

[rebrascora]

I would make sure there is a good lip on the nest box, so that the chicks can't accidentally fall out and then leave it to the broody to take them out when they are ready. I would imagine your nest boxes are not more than 3 feet off the ground and the chicks will easily manage to jump/fall that far but make sure there is plenty of bedding below for a soft landing. Start the adoption process when you are going to have plenty of time to monitor things for the following few days and just keep an eye on things. The broody will encourage them to jump when she is ready to leave the nest. I've read of some that had chicks drop down more than 10 feet from a hayloft when their broody mamma encouraged them to and managed just fine.

Good luck with them.

 

[Sabrina24]

There is a small lip and it is only about 3 feet down. There is also a ramp but it is only a 2x4 with 'steps' on it. We wish now we had made it wider, and will when we remodel the coop this year. I was just worried about them being able to get to food and water. If I add more wood chips can they really jump down at just 2 or so days old? All this assuming she adopts them! I will be home the next day so I will definitely keep an eye on them!

 

[rebrascora]

If it has just a small lip, my concern would be that one of them might fall out of the nest and not being able to get back but if you are there to supervise then if there is a problem you can intervene. You will see when she is ready to leave the nest with them as she will jump down and encourage them to follow. At that point, if you are lucky enough to witness it, you can either watch for the entertainment value or lift them down. They will be absolutely fine dropping 3 feet onto shavings, it's plucking up the courage to take that leap of faith that sometimes takes a lot of cajoling from the broody to achieve. At that age they would not manage a ramp, nor would the broody try to show them how to negotiate it, so don't worry about remodelling it. They will be flying up and down in a few weeks but in the meantime they will be happy to nest on the floor.