Broody bantam outside

[boxermizer]

Help! I'm not sure what to do. I have a bantam that likes to go broody. This is her 3rd time this season. I have never had one, not even her, do it this late in the season. If the eggs are good, they should hatch anytime. She ended up laying 12 eggs in my wildflower garden before I found them and laid another the next day then started sitting. I let her go, although my husband built a box (pretty water tight) to put over her and we've put some heavy fencing panels around to keep predators out (looks real charming up against a brand new house ). I figured she'd be ok until they hatched, but now its turned cold (way colder than is normal for this time of year in Missouri) and supposed to snow. We already had a tiny bit of freeze precip this evening and its raining again. Its 33 right now. Suppose to only be 35 tomorrow and lows below freezing for 4 nights in a row. I know they are pretty cold hardy, but I'm concerned about moisture creeping in from below (but that may not happen since its a raised bed and she's on plant material, not bare dirt) and the temps for chicks. When I found about the same number of eggs late summer I tried to move her (to a separate coop specifically for this reason) and she completely flipped out on me and wouldn't sit on the eggs, pecked at the wire so much her beak bled, so I let her out, she wouldn't return. After watching her this time, I'm guessing she wasn't done laying last time. I haven't wanted to make the same mistake again. However, if I move her, I have a box set up in the shop this time since its gotten so cold. But I don't want her to quit sitting since they should hatch by Friday. Do I wait until they hatch, hoping they can stay warm under her for the first 24-48 hours when hopefully they've all hatched then move them? Do I get an incubator to have on hand in case she won't stay on them and move her and them before they hatch? Leave them be and let nature take its course? Eggs are one thing, but 13 of them barely fit under her, I can't see how she could keep that many chicks warm, but I'm guessing they won't all hatch because of that. I'm fairly new to this as I've only had chickens for 4 years and only had a little success with eggs hatching under broody hens (I'm thinking because I didn't have a separate place for them until late this summer).

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I've had some luck putting them in a smaller crate with the eggs, and most have settled for me. She probably will be okay until Friday. Chickens are pretty cold hardy.

Sometimes when they set too many eggs they cannot turn them properly or cover them all, so it is possible not all of even any will hatch. Time will tell.

 

[aart]

Do I wait until they hatch, hoping they can stay warm under her for the first 24-48 hours when hopefully they've all hatched then move them?

Yes.
As long as she's dry, she'll be fine.
If you haven't candled and removed eggs laid there after she started setting all the egg may not hatch before she's ready to bring chicks off the nest to eat and drink.

 

[sourland]

Move her to a dry, draft free coop after the chicks hatch, and things should go well unless temperatures drop severely.