Broody hen help. First timer for her and me

[babsbag]

I have a broody that has 3 more days to go. She is sitting in her nest box three feet off the ground so tonight I am moving her to a cage in our shed. Of course, NOW it had to get really cold here in sunny california and is below freezing at night. The shed is not heated and has no power in it. I have no garage so that is the only place she can go. House already has chicks in it

DH says no more in the house.

Once the eggs hatch will she be able to keep the chicks warm at night? Oh, and she is a bantie sitting on 12 eggs. Her flock mates kept giving her more eggs, the actually laid in her box. How many babies can she keep warm? If I put a balnket over the cage at night will that be bad because of the lack of air exchange?

 

[KellyHM]

She should be able to keep all the babies warm, as long as they all fit under her. You can put a blanket over most of the cage, but leave one side open for ventilation. If some of the eggs are more than 2 days behind the others then she may leave the nest before they all hatch. That's why it's best to set all the eggs at once. If that happens you'll have to stick the remaining ones in an incubator if you have one.

 

[babsbag]

Some of the eggs are behind as she was broody for 2 days and changed her mind. Then 2 days later she went broody again. This time she stuck like velcro. I left all the eggs and figured she would toss the ones out that were no good, so far she has kept them all. I haven't candled any, maybe tonight when I move her I will check them.

I do have an incubator, just put it away for the year, trying to keep temptation out of sight

I guess I will bring it out and get it ready, just in case.

Thanks for the tip.