Where should my broody hen sleep with her new chicks?

[Ridgerunner]

I agree. If it is thick enough to stay moist or if it smells, it needs to go. Not for the chick's benefit alone but for the overall health if your entire flock. Depending on what your coop floor looks like and what bedding you use, raking might be all that is needed. You can try putting scratch or some kinds of threats on it to see if you can get the chickens to rake it for you with their scratching.

The goal is to keep the coop floor dry. Thick poop doesn't dry out very well.

 

[azygous]

I might just add that the presence of poop isn't a hazard in itself, but moist conditions allow cocci parasites to multiply and that can make new chicks sick. But generally, exposure to adult chicken poop actually benefits the new chicks exposing them to pathogens in their first week or two when their immune systems are open for "inoculation", thus making them more resistant to disease. It's one of the many advantages of brooding outdoors with the flock.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I've found it to be much easier and safer with the broody and chicks in a nest on the ground with water and food nearby. My first broody who hatched did so on a raised nest. One night the chick jumped or fell down. The mama jumped down to shelter it on the ground, but if she had had more than one chick, one or more would have likely died because it was a very cold night.

 

[HappyChickenDaddy]

Thanks everyone for your advice! This is a very helpful and welcoming community. Mama broody and chicks seem quite happy on the floor of the coop today. I shoveled some of the poop yesterday but need to get some more floor bedding before I finish the job. I noticed that some other hens and the rooster were having a look at the new chicks today. Mama let the chicks under her wings when they were scared. She's happily scratching on the floor and bedding down either on the floor or in a box, and I have food and water for her.

Probably a good idea to get rid of most of the poop as it was quite thick and a bit smelly. I'm not sure how often my partner's parents rake it out. Maybe not that often! But the birds all seem healthy. It's a fairly large flock - about 15 hens, 5 pullets that are almost fully grown, and 2 roosters.