Is January Good time For Broody?

So today my plymouth rock white hen went broody... IN JANUARY!!!
So this is how it all happened.. I come in she is eating I am about to collect the eggs and then she jumps up onto the nest box puffs up and I am like woah!! so then I try to pet her and she screams!!!
so I thought she will probably be done by tonight. I then come in and she is still there fluffed up and all and still screaming.
Do you think that this sounds like broodiness when I tried to grab the egg she was so heavy!!
And also tell me if you think this is the right time to hatch

I don't give my hens eggs until they've stayed on the nest for a couple days/nights. So I know they're serious and not just "playing at it".

In my opinion, anytime of the year is a good time for broodies and new chicks In fact, one of my hens is sitting on 10 eggs right now. She's due to hatch on the 17th.

Good luck with yours!

Thank you I will think about putting more eggs under her tomorrow.
Good luck with your hatch!!

In the dead of winter isn't a real great time to be having young ones hatching, especially under a broody. Especially under a new broody. All kinds of problems can ensue from it and I never recommend it. Think about other birds...are any of them hatching young in January? Nope. There's a reason for that. Just because we can doesn't always follow that we should...many stress filled and doom laden posts on this forum result from broody hatches in the coldest month of winter.

Beekissed said:

In the dead of winter isn't a real great time to be having young ones hatching, especially under a broody. Especially under a new broody. All kinds of problems can ensue from it and I never recommend it. Think about other birds...are any of them hatching young in January? Nope. There's a reason for that. Just because we can doesn't always follow that we should...many stress filled and doom laden posts on this forum result from broody hatches in the coldest month of winter.

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Have to agree here... I had one of my new hens go broody the first of Dec, tried to break her, caged her in broody jail for four or five days, she wasn't having it.. Finally gave up and slipped 10 eggs under her... She was a good broody, stayed tight on the eggs.. They hatched two days late, out of ten 6 hatched but only 4 survived. She is a better broody that hatcher I suppose... Out of the four she has three with her, I wont allow another broody (broke two the other day only to find another broody yesterday, she is currently locked up) Its been a weird winter, I keep having to break my girls, on average 2-3 a month!! I didn't go thru this last year.

Also should I move her in the day or night?

In my humble opinion, Miss Bee is absolutely correct. Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be done.

Meet Scout. Scout was a winter hatched chick - the only one of 15 eggs to hatch - under a first time broody. Scout tried to kill himself several times during his short life. He got out from under his Mom on Day 1 and couldn't find his way back. When I found him he was laying with his eyes closed, legs stretched out, neck extended, no breathing that I could detect, and so cold! But then I thought I detected something, a movement or a sound, I can't remember which. So I grabbed him, shoved him in my bra, and ran for the house yelling for Ken to rig the brooder. He revived. I then gave him back to Agatha, who was glad to see him, and for several days he did great. She was a pretty good mom, too, and had him out among the rest of the girls in no time.


Scout peeking out from under Mom.


Notice Scout's feet. Permanently damaged from freezing.




This was the result of getting his feet wet at the waterer. Nothing his broody Mom could have done to prevent it.



After the frostbite blisters healed, his feet did this. There had been so much damage that the ligaments curled and lost function. I tried bandaging them, bracing them, but nothing worked. The damage was too extensive.

What these photos don't show is all the work and time that went into saving this little stinker. Hot tub soaks in Epsom salts, honey and castor oil rubdowns, bandaging...... he couldn't walk on them, he walked on his hocks for the first several days. He had a nipple waterer in his crate but because he couldn't stand on his feet and reach the trigger, we had to trip it for him. He learned to get over to the waterer, then cheep loudly for water and we'd hit the button until he was satisfied. Couldn't put a regular waterer in there because damp bedding and open wounds is a sure fire invitation to infection. It was a long haul for him. He grew up, he did well, but his feet were always an issue.

From a personal standpoint, I will NEVER, EVER brood chicks in the wintertime again, especially under a first time broody. I"m in Northern Wyoming, and the week that Scout was injured, it had been in the 60s for days, then plummeted to -17 in 26 hours. You don't say where you live, so this might not be an issue for you. It's still plenty cold here in the springtime, but it's a far better time for me to brood chicks than in the dead of winter.

yes she was off the nest today and jumped back on when I came in and then I was spying on her and she got off the nest 3 times in a hour. So I think I will just wait till spring to do it.
I dont think that would be safe for chicks with that mom... So I will just give her fake eggs.