sakerobot
Songster
Is March too early to let a broody hen hatch some chicks?
The details: One of our Partridge Chantecler pullets went broody in late February, which we at first assumed would be too early. Now it's March 1st and she's being persistent. This is a Canadian breed that's known for cold hardiness, but would we be endangering chicks if we let her start?
We're in NH, zone 5B. Tonight and tomorrow it will be -1F at night, but it will get warmer by Tuesday with low 50s days and mid 20s nights. Our last frost date can be as late as mid May, although that's very unusual. We might get snow storms as late as April, though many days are warm and the snow usually melts to expose the ground.
For accommodation: We have a kennel inside the big coop which is 2x4 and contains a nesting box and can have a feeder and a waterer. The waterer would be removed for the night if it will freeze. The kennel is netted so that other chickens can't get into it, and it has a roof so that no presents can be dropped. The only trick will be to get her to accept the new box, but I can't have her in the current box as some hens will peck at her and others will double stack and lay eggs.
Egg fertility: we have 6 roosters.
Backup plan: if the hatching does not happen for some reason, there is a local store that gets chicks weekly that we can have her adopt. We had this happen last year and the hen raised 4 chicks into full adulthood (but that was in the summer).
This pullet is only about 9 months old.
The details: One of our Partridge Chantecler pullets went broody in late February, which we at first assumed would be too early. Now it's March 1st and she's being persistent. This is a Canadian breed that's known for cold hardiness, but would we be endangering chicks if we let her start?
We're in NH, zone 5B. Tonight and tomorrow it will be -1F at night, but it will get warmer by Tuesday with low 50s days and mid 20s nights. Our last frost date can be as late as mid May, although that's very unusual. We might get snow storms as late as April, though many days are warm and the snow usually melts to expose the ground.
For accommodation: We have a kennel inside the big coop which is 2x4 and contains a nesting box and can have a feeder and a waterer. The waterer would be removed for the night if it will freeze. The kennel is netted so that other chickens can't get into it, and it has a roof so that no presents can be dropped. The only trick will be to get her to accept the new box, but I can't have her in the current box as some hens will peck at her and others will double stack and lay eggs.
Egg fertility: we have 6 roosters.
Backup plan: if the hatching does not happen for some reason, there is a local store that gets chicks weekly that we can have her adopt. We had this happen last year and the hen raised 4 chicks into full adulthood (but that was in the summer).
This pullet is only about 9 months old.
