Broody hen, temp too cold?

[aart]

She has a large food and water dish that she can absolutely reach without getting up.

Not a good idea, they should have to get up to eat/drink/poop.

I'll copy a link to a thread where a member let a broody hatch in the dead of winter. She was quite successful but at the end of the thread she said she probably would not do it again.

Yes, it worked out OK....BUT broody was in the coop but separated from the flock by a wire wall.
We had some temps in the single digits, both during and after incubation.
Luckily hatch day happened during an upper 30's thaw.

No, I wouldn't do it again.

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

Make sure she has a spot to dust bathe, my broodies love a vigorous dust bath while they are taking their exercise time.

In case you may want to move her back outside later, if you limit her to just a couple eggs she should be able to raise them even in colder weather. It’s easier for a hen to cover chicks for longer if there aren’t as many of them.

She currently has 7 eggs. I don’t expect all of them to make it to hatch as it’s her first time and a few mistakes were already made. If they don’t hatch I will have other chicks she can have and raise in the brooder if she wants them.
I don’t plan to move her back outside until the next warmer week after the hatch. I know that going from very warm temps to cold temps is extremely hard on them.

 

[Timbers Happy Hens]

Not a good idea, they should have to get up to eat/drink/poop.


Yes, it worked out OK....BUT broody was in the coop but separated from the flock by a wire wall.
We had some temps in the single digits, both during and after incubation.
Luckily hatch day happened during an upper 30's thaw.

No, I wouldn't do it again.

I can easily move her to the brooder now, she will have tons of space there. She’s currently in a large tote. I’ve been checking on her a couple times during the day to clean out her poops and give her fresh water. She definitely isn’t bothered by me messing with her.

 

[Huntmaster]

Not a good idea, they should have to get up to eat/drink/poop.

I can easily move her to the brooder now, she will have tons of space there. She’s currently in a large tote. I’ve been checking on her a couple times during the day to clean out her poops

Yes, I would get her in larger area so she can get up walk to feed water getting away from nest otherwise your eggs will be polluted with a huge broody poo.