New mama just wants to sit, but chicks are already eating?

[Red Horse]

I picked up my new chicks from a hatchery yesterday afternoon and made sure they were all eating, drinking, and healthy before successfully sneaking them under my broody olive egger late last night. These are her first chicks and she is so pleased with herself!! Babies seem pleased too.

I didn't realize she would probably be sitting on them for several days before she herself takes them out to eat and drink... Are they OK under there for a couple days even though their little digestive tracts are already on their way? They ate and drank all afternoon and evening yesterday. Do they need to keep it up now that they've started?

 

[NatJ]

I picked up my new chicks from a hatchery yesterday afternoon and made sure they were all eating, drinking, and healthy before successfully sneaking them under my broody olive egger late last night. These are her first chicks and she is so pleased with herself!! Babies seem pleased too.

I didn't realize she would probably be sitting on them for several days before she herself takes them out to eat and drink... Are they OK under there for a couple days even though their little digestive tracts are already on their way? They ate and drank all afternoon and evening yesterday. Do they need to keep it up now that they've started?

The chicks do need to eat. It usually works to put feed and water near the hen, and the chicks will pop out at intervals to have a meal then go back under her.

If that will not work at the current nest, you can probably move the hen and chicks to a new spot at this point. A hen who has accepted chicks will usually stay with the chicks, rather than trying to go back to her old nest, so moving them at this point usually works fine. They don't really need a "nest" anymore, just a safe area of floor with bedding, plus food and water and some room to move around. The hen can sit down and keep the chicks warm almost anywhere.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I agree with @NatJ . What does your setup look like? Did you remove the eggs, golf balls, etc. that she was sitting on? I just did the same thing last Friday night, I put a chick waterer and feeder on the floor of the coop a couple feet away, by Saturday afternoon the littles wanted to eat and a few of them hopped out to start grubbing, they couldn't get back in the nest and started peeping which convinced mom that she needed to come down and join the party.

 

[Red Horse]

Thank you both!! I did remove the fake eggs as I stuffed chicks under her last night. She is doing a great job keeping them safe and warm so far. Food and water is in the run, so I will move it inside for the day a few feet from the nest box and take it out at night. So glad she was up to the task!

 

[NatJ]

Thank you both!! I did remove the fake eggs as I stuffed chicks under her last night. She is doing a great job keeping them safe and warm so far. Food and water is in the run, so I will move it inside for the day a few feet from the nest box and take it out at night. So glad she was up to the task!

I might put the feed & water close enough that the hen can stretch her neck and reach it from the nest. That way the chicks can come out and eat as often as they want, without having to go very far.

At this point, you do not want the chicks to think they can wander far away from the hen. They should be learning to stay very close right now, so they will follow her when she goes off the nest. Chicks that wander off will sometimes turn into chicks that are lost, chilled, maybe dead.

 

[Red Horse]

I might put the feed & water close enough that the hen can stretch her neck and reach it from the nest. That way the chicks can come out and eat as often as they want, without having to go very far.

At this point, you do not want the chicks to think they can wander far away from the hen. They should be learning to stay very close right now, so they will follow her when she goes off the nest. Chicks that wander off will sometimes turn into chicks that are lost, chilled, maybe dead.

Sounds like I need to shut the coop door too! I'm using a producer's pride sentinel coop, it needed a lot of stuff to make it safer but dang if it's not just the perfect size for now.

 

[NatJ]

Sounds like I need to shut the coop door too! I'm using a producer's pride sentinel coop, it needed a lot of stuff to make it safer but dang if it's not just the perfect size for now.

For the first day or so, yes I probably would shut the door to keep chicks from falling out.

Once the hen wants to go out into the run area, it should be fine to let her do that: chicks can follow her. If they don't figure out the ramp, they can just fall, but the distance should not be dangerous to them at that size/age. But the chicks may have trouble figuring out how to get back up and in, for the first few nights. So check on that in the evening.

After the chicks are a few days old, they get good at jumping up and flapping wings. At that stage, if they have trouble with the ramp, they may find it easier to have steps (a few bricks or concrete blocks). Chickens seem to figure out "jump on that" more easily than "walk away from the door until you find the end of the ramp."

 

[Red Horse]

For the first day or so, yes I probably would shut the door to keep chicks from falling out.

Once the hen wants to go out into the run area, it should be fine to let her do that: chicks can follow her. If they don't figure out the ramp, they can just fall, but the distance should not be dangerous to them at that size/age. But the chicks may have trouble figuring out how to get back up and in, for the first few nights. So check on that in the evening.

After the chicks are a few days old, they get good at jumping up and flapping wings. At that stage, if they have trouble with the ramp, they may find it easier to have steps (a few bricks or concrete blocks). Chickens seem to figure out "jump on that" more easily than "walk away from the door until you find the end of the ramp."

Thank you! I raised my first flock in a brooder and I was the mama so this is definitely a different experience. Every time I check on this group they're running around the inside of the little coop with the zoomies and Mom is desperately trying to get them to come to her. She's moving around to warm them wherever she can get most of them to stay put instead of hanging out in the nest box, she's trying so hard! Poor lady had no idea what she was in for when she decided to sit