Brooding

[lkgerr1]

It is zero degrees. It will snow for another month. So NOW Gimpy (nicknamed after injury which healed) decides to go broody. She broke herself last time, so I suppose it's too much to ask she decides motherhood in the winter is overrated......

 

[Sally PB]

Do you have a way to break her if she doesn't so it herself?

 

[Mrs. K]

How can you resist? I would give her either chicks or eggs. I would give her a smaller clutch, say 3-5, but she will raise them just fine, regardless the weather.

Once I had a hen raise chicks at -20 degrees. Not a problem. They would be out running around having a heyday, and then she would change her cluck and they all came in for a warm up.

Mrs K

 

[Yardmom]

I too have allowed my broodies to raise a few chicks no matter the weather. My 4th batch for this freezing season is set to hatch next week. The most challenging for me is keeping chick friendly water thawed.
If you really do not want her to hatch chicks some BYC users use wired bottom cages to break broodiness.