Well it's the coldest day of the last few years here on Long Island, and when I went to collect eggs this morning, I noticed my little black silkie (Kung Pow) sitting in her nest box looking very peacefull.
I go out first thing every morning with moistened food for another one of our chickens (who has a scissor beak), and grab the eggs if any. Well today is so cold I've been checking in on them every couple of hours to make sure their water isn't frozen, and there is Kung Pow still in the nest box. I reached in to get her egg (so she could join her comrades outside) and I was shocked to find no feathers under there! What now? I read that sometimes mamas will do this to keep their eggs warm, but we don't have a rooster, so no babbies!!! We keep a heater in the coop that keeps it about 40 degrees. It's winter. How will she keep warm now? When will these feathers grow back?? Any advise would be appriciated.
-Dara
I go out first thing every morning with moistened food for another one of our chickens (who has a scissor beak), and grab the eggs if any. Well today is so cold I've been checking in on them every couple of hours to make sure their water isn't frozen, and there is Kung Pow still in the nest box. I reached in to get her egg (so she could join her comrades outside) and I was shocked to find no feathers under there! What now? I read that sometimes mamas will do this to keep their eggs warm, but we don't have a rooster, so no babbies!!! We keep a heater in the coop that keeps it about 40 degrees. It's winter. How will she keep warm now? When will these feathers grow back?? Any advise would be appriciated.
-Dara
