Late Fall chicks

[Heat]

This morning I went to open up my chicken coop per usual, however before I reached the door knob I heard the sound of chirping coming from inside. Low and behold as soon as the door was opened I saw 7 little black fuzzballs hoping around the coop floor, mama nearby (I thought she was a goner as I have lost a lot of chickens to our neighborhood coyote this past summer/fall).

Is it common for hens to go broody in the fall and bring back chicks right before winter? I am just shocked she was stuck through it, we have had high winds and below freezing temps for a week straight.

Also, should I take any extra precautions to make sure they survive to get their feathers? I am thinking about throwing a red heat light out there, but is this necessary? Will mama keep them warm enough? I assume since she hatched them this time of year she won't have a problem... I am just a worried chicken mama, lol.

This is the first year my hens have decided to bring me chicks (50+over the summer) so I am not really sure what I should or shouldn't do.

 

[HEChicken]

Not common but not unheard of either. I have a hen who went broody in November and I gave her a single egg to hatch because I don't really want chicks this time of year. The chick will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. If you look in my signature at the link for "Should I add supplemental heat?", it gives detail (and pics) of this chick a few days ago when the thermometer registered just 3 degrees.

Mama Hen will keep the chicks warm - you don't need to worry about that. And, it turns out chicks can take much colder temperatures than we give them credit for when we raise them in a brooder. They are really quite hardy little things.

The main thing is to ensure they have a waterer that provides water rather than ice and that they can't get submerged in and get wet. And food that they can access. Mama will do all the rest.