Do I Let My Broody Hatch Babies Now?

One of my BO's keeps going broody, just about a month ago (5 weeks ago) and then now again this weekend. We put her in a dog kennel for a couple days and it broke the broodiness, but now she's going again and I just wasn't sure with the weather changing and winter coming if it's okay to let her go ahead and hatch some? I live in Iowa, so it's going to be winter before we know it. She is determined to have some babies LOL!

What do you all do? Do you let yours go broody whenever they want and hatch babies or do you avoid it during extreme heat and cold temps? Thanks!

I would put her in a Dogg kennel with some hatching eggs and put that dog kennel in a bathroom in your house. If you like, line the floor (bathroom floor) with newspaper and have chick safe food and water outside. But you'll have to brood the chicks indoors. This is the only option for winder hatching.
:/

Outside the kennel I mean. *winter

Here is someone who successfully did it in Michigan. It might be worth reading.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/947046/broody-in-michigan-winter

Bottom line, you can let her hatch and raise them out of doors. It’s not as easy on her as a summer hatch and raise and there are more risks. In the intense cold something that would be an inconvenience in summer could be deadly in winter, say a chick gets isolated and can’t get to the broody. The risk for some diseases is less in winter but comparing that to the risks from the cold, the cold wins out, at least in my opinion.

If you set eggs now it will be around Thanksgiving until they are fully feathered out and able to handle the cold you are likely to see on their own. For that reason I’d limit the number of eggs I gave her so she can cover the chicks at night. I’ve seen hens raise 15 chicks in the summer but in the winter I’d want her to have a lot less so she can keep them warm at night.

If I had the opportunity I’d do it but my lows are not likely to hit single digits until December or even later.

Thanks everyone! Well since I'm fairly new with chicken raising I think I'll just keep breaking the broodiness until spring. I don't think my hubby would go for bringing the kennel in and letting her hatch them inside HEHE! Plus I would feel awful if the chicks weren't fully feathered out to keep warm Maybe next year when I have more experience

I don't have much experience, considering I'm a ten year old girl

MesMama said:

Thanks everyone! Well since I'm fairly new with chicken raising I think I'll just keep breaking the broodiness until spring. I don't think my hubby would go for bringing the kennel in and letting her hatch them inside HEHE! Plus I would feel awful if the chicks weren't fully feathered out to keep warm

Maybe next year when I have more experience

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I think that's a wise decision. It's easier on everyone (you, hen, chicks) to have a spring or summer hatch.

song of joy said:

I think that's a wise decision.  It's easier on everyone (you, hen, chicks) to have a spring or summer hatch.  

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I agree I'm glad I went ahead and broke her (had to do it three times LOL! She was determined!)

MesMama said:

One of my BO's keeps going broody, just about a month ago (5 weeks ago) and then now again this weekend. We put her in a dog kennel for a couple days and it broke the broodiness, but now she's going again and I just wasn't sure with the weather changing and winter coming if it's okay to let her go ahead and hatch some? I live in Iowa, so it's going to be winter before we know it. She is determined to have some babies LOL!

What do you all do? Do you let yours go broody whenever they want and hatch babies or do you avoid it during extreme heat and cold temps? Thanks!

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There is a very good reason that Spring time or Easter is associated with baby chickens or new life. You'll have much better luck (IMHO) if your hen will postpone starting a family until April or May.

chickengeorgeto said:

There is a very good reason that Spring time or Easter is associated with baby chickens or new life.  You'll have much better luck (IMHO) if your hen will postpone starting a family until April or May.

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Does it hurt the hens to continually break their broodiness? Like will they just stop going broody all together even in the spring?