Can young hens hatch eggs in winter?

[farlo4]

Hello, I'm a new chicken owner and am wondering what is going on with my hen. She's only about ten months old and has been sitting on eggs. It has been three days now. What's weird is that it is the middle of winter! Temperatures are below freezing. She has a nice coop though. She is a Buff Orpington and my rooster is a White Cochin Bantam. He is the same age. The other weird thing is that she isn't acting like a broody hen from what I've read about them. She doesn't mind me petting her or touching the eggs. I did hand raise her however so maybe that is why? There are probably eight eggs, I haven't actually counted, and I know that they are not all hers because of the different colors. But I'm afraid to remove any incase they are developing. What do you think? Are there chicks growing in them? And why in the winter? How do I know which, if any, have chicks? Or is my hen just confused, lol? Thanks

 

[Mahlzeit]

If you want her to try to hatch the eggs it is best to remover her and the eggs where other chickens can't continue to lay where she is. Otherwise you will have eggs at all different stages of hatching and when the first ones hatch and she starts leaving the nest with them the others that are still developing will die. Not sure why she would be sitting on them in winter but I guess it does happen.

 

[farlo4]

I read that I could put a mark on the eggs now and then remove the new unmarked eggs every day. Would that work?

 

[phalenbeck]

I have hatched in winter in N.C. mountains no problem. You are right--mark the eggs to hatch and remove the rest.

 

[farlo4]

Thanks

 

[cafrhe]

We hatched out 2 chicks when our Buff Orp went broody in November...Chicks are now 5 weeks old and doing great. I built a pen for the hen in the coop so the other hens couldnt get in her nest (built her a nest box too). She was so serious about brooding, we bought her hatching eggs. I have worried about the cold, but she has been a fantastic mama. She has just started taking the chicks out of the coop this week.