Broody Hatched Chicks

[ahs]

So my hen Brownie went broody for the third time this year so we decided to let her hatch some eggs. I ordered shipped eggs, knowing they don't always have great hatch rates, but thinking it would be a fun experiment.
4/6 have hatched yesterday!

She is taking them to food/ water and keeping them warm so far. I'm a little concerned about the temp dropping to bitter cold temps for the next week. Zero is the low this weekend. Today it is 20 out but the thermometer I put in the coop is reading closer to 40 so during the day they are going to be fine. Water is still liquid.

When will she try to take them out of the coop?
So far she has done a good job taking care of them and I plan to trust her to keep them warm, but how cold is too cold for her to do her job well?
Any thing else I should know?

 

[Star and eclipsa]

I cant afford an incubator but I have a pullet and a cockerel so I'm hoping that my pullet goes broody eventually after she starts laying eggs so i can get more chickens. Im gonna give away the roosters that hatch (because I'm sure there will be roosters hatching when the eggs do hatch) and keep three of the hens (I live in an area where i can have up to five chickens.)

 

[sumi]

When will she try to take them out of the coop?
So far she has done a good job taking care of them and I plan to trust her to keep them warm, but how cold is too cold for her to do her job well?
Any thing else I should know?

Congrats on the hatch! I've had broody hens hatch chicks in winter and they did a great job raising them and keeping them warm, though I was horrified at first seeing the little ones running around outside with frost on the ground, they know when to duck under mom for a quick warm up and she was happy to let them do so. As long as mom is able to stay comfortable, she will do a good job taking care of the little ones. Provide her with a dry, wind free place to especially spend the nights and they should be fine even when it gets really cold. I'll expect her to start going outside with them about 3 days after the hatch.

 

[ahs]

We put up clear plastic around the run, and especially underneath the nesting box where she has them...hoping to keep the box a touch warmer. She is taking care of them. We let our one other chicken be introduced to the chicks.... she seemed overwhelmed and ran away. The other chicken has been in a dog crate in the garage the last few nights.

My biggest issue now is trying to figure out how to keep the chick waterer in the coop liquid. The lip tray is what freezes up. I though about trying to duct tape a hand warmer underneath it. This week is fine I can go out and break it up, But next week I have to go back to work.

I also worry about the chicks navigating the ramp from the coop it is about 3 feet off the ground.

 

[ahs]

It is zero degrees today and zero in the coop. I have really need to clean the coop out thoroughly, but Mama hasn't taken the chicks out yet. They are 8 days old and the ramp out of the coop is pretty steep and its been very cold.
We have a small coop with a run underneath. Currently the run is mostly covered in plastic to act as a wind break.

I am thinking of moving hen and chicks to the run underneath while I clean out the coop. The run has a layer of pine shavings/ straw so they won't have to walk directly on frozen ground. Or would I be better off temporarily moving them to the garage?

 

[karigirl]

It is zero degrees today and zero in the coop. I have really need to clean the coop out thoroughly, but Mama hasn't taken the chicks out yet. They are 8 days old and the ramp out of the coop is pretty steep and its been very cold.
We have a small coop with a run underneath. Currently the run is mostly covered in plastic to act as a wind break.

I am thinking of moving hen and chicks to the run underneath while I clean out the coop. The run has a layer of pine shavings/ straw so they won't have to walk directly on frozen ground. Or would I be better off temporarily moving them to the garage?

I know this is an old thread... just wondered how your mama made out? I have eggs hatching soon and it’s cold!