Broody cochin in Winter

[Surbhi]

One of our bantam golden laced cochins had started laying eggs in late December when she was 6 months old, and we have a rooster so she may have laid some fertile eggs. She’s been sitting on them and is all fluffed up, so she has probably gone broody. I've heard it is dangerous for a hen to go broody in the winter and it can get pretty cold where we live. We also have to go abroad in early February and a local farm had agreed to keep our chickens for a month until we came back, but they said they wouldn't be able to take care of a broody hen. Should we break her broodiness? We want to remove the eggs but feel very guilty doing so. She's been sitting on them for 4 days.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

While a broody hen doesn't really need human intervention, a broody pullet is a bit suspect. If you have no one to check on her and the resulting chicks, I would break her.
It isn't so much about the temperature, just about all the peripheral issues.

 

[Surbhi]

While a broody hen doesn't really need human intervention, a broody pullet is a bit suspect. If you have no one to check on her and the resulting chicks, I would break her.
It isn't so much about the temperature, just about all the peripheral issues.

Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree with Canoe. I have no idea what you mean by cold, there are threads on here where people let broody hens hatch and raise chicks when the temperature was often well below freezing, down to zero Fahrenheit. And some where people in south Florida think they have cold temperatures for chickens. A broody pullet doesn't bother me that much, I let mine hatch when I want chicks. But it is the peripheral issues. And it is probably better for your first broody experience to take place in warmer weather.

To me the best way to break a broody is to put her in an elevated wire bottomed cage or crate so air can get up under her. It needs to be in a predator proof area or predator proof itself. Give her food and water but do not give her anything that looks like a nest. Keep her in there for 72 hours before you let her out. If she goes back to the nest, repeat. 72 hours is enough to break practically all my broodies that I don't want to hatch.

 

[Surbhi]

I agree with Canoe. I have no idea what you mean by cold, there are threads on here where people let broody hens hatch and raise chicks when the temperature was often well below freezing, down to zero Fahrenheit. And some where people in south Florida think they have cold temperatures for chickens. A broody pullet doesn't bother me that much, I let mine hatch when I want chicks. But it is the peripheral issues. And it is probably better for your first broody experience to take place in warmer weather.

To me the best way to break a broody is to put her in an elevated wire bottomed cage or crate so air can get up under her. It needs to be in a predator proof area or predator proof itself. Give her food and water but do not give her anything that looks like a nest. Keep her in there for 72 hours before you let her out. If she goes back to the nest, repeat. 72 hours is enough to break practically all my broodies that I don't want to hatch.

will do!! Thank you so much!