Anyone else in cold climate with broody hens ( duck and chicken)?

[microchick]

My girl is still determined. I went into the coop tonight to gather eggs and sure enough, she was happily sitting on two eggs. I had one in my hand from another coop, happened to notice that my favorite little rooster had got himself beat up by the senior rooster (stupid, stupid boy, peeing off the head rooster, little dummy) and needed first aid. I gave my wanna be a momma hen, Iris, the egg I was holding, told her to watch it for me while I took care of Timmy, and took him into the house to wash the young cockerel up and grease him up with antibiotic salve. Took him back to the coop and sure enough. Iris had tucked the extra egg under her and was happily knitting little booties until I thanked her, took all three eggs and plopped her on the roost to chill.

Yeah, sometimes I feel like a real jerk but then I think about all the trouble of dealing with a hen brooding chicks December/January and the guilt passes.

 

[Deltabwa]

I had one go broody, was missing for 4 days before i found her sitting on, already developed eggs so I had to leave her broody. She is only 9 mo old. Brought her in the coop in a dog cage and they hatched out yesterday Those chicks have hardly been under momma, all but twice, when I went out to check on them, they have been out running around in the cage.

 

[Jay E.]

We had our Buff Orpington go broody in September here in Western Washington. We've had a much colder fall than normal. We actually had snow in October. We let nature take it's course. She's got 5 babies all being raised outside. Granted we did give her a heat pad that is for a brooder.