Worried

[emilysteng]

Hi,

Just wanted to get out my worries. I've been putting my chicken - Casino, and her two chicks (2 1/2 weeks old) in a rabbit hutch at night. But I was working late and when I went up I must have been too late and CAsino must have taken her chicks somewhere to hide for the night already. I just hope it was somewhere good. I mean, Casino has been sleeping out there her whole life, but not yet with chicks. They still need to sleep under her for warmth so I was going to keep them confined at night till they didn't have to or they got bigger.

just worried. Nothing I can do, I looked all over for her but couldn't find her and just had to give up and go home. I hope they'll be alright tonight. Will be worried all night till I go to work in the morning and see them.

 

[Illia]

Can the chicks go in there? (do they have to jump or fly into it or anything?) If they can't it is natural that mommy hen won't - But really, to my experience - A broody hen with chicks will sleep with them wherever she hatched them. If she did indeed hatch them in there, then there's some reason she won't go in. . . But don't worry, you'll find her the next morning.

 

[emilysteng]

She didn't actually hatch them in there. She laid her eggs in an old cardboard box that was on a shelf - about 4 feet up. A few days after they hatched we had a mongoose scare one morning - and that night I replaced the box with the hutch and put them in there to sleep and have been doing that ever since. It's been about two weeks now. They are always anxious to come out in the morning. The chicks can fly up there if they wanted to. I've seen them fly up about 3-4 feet already. But Casino is a wild chicken and she only goes in there after I catch the two chicks and put them in there.

I know Casino is a good mom and a smart wild chicken. I mean, she has survived thus far on her own. Just like to know they are safe at night.

Was hoping to do it till they got too big for the hutch - or too big to sleep under mom.

 

[pgpoultry]

I think it most likely she will have found a perfectly safe place for herself and her chicks.

Hopefully she will turn up soon, chicks in tow,

Good Luck,

Sandie

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Have you seen her today?

 

[emilysteng]

Well, everyone was here this morning - clucking and peeping for food.

Good to know they are such smart chickens. Still not sure if I'm ready for them to be out every night though....