Broody hen in winter, what to do?

[flockgirl]

I would let her do it. I have a hen sitting on 15 eggs right now and she is about 2 weeks in. What I do is when they start hatching I move the eggs and mama to a tote that I keep in the coop. Then I just put a heat lamp in the coop but mama will kep them warm until they're feathered out

 

[Lynzi777]

I am in the same boat...I live in Upstate NY and even though today is fairly nice, tomorrow calls for some snow...I have a silkie hen who decide to go broody two days ago. This would be my first experience with a broody hen and my first time hatching chicks if I let her stay on the eggs. I decided yesterday to go for it. She is still in the nestbox on the eggs outside but I'm am obviously going to have to move her inside once the temps drop into the 30's, 20's. I have no way of providing heat or even a lamp outside if had to. I've been doing a lot of reading and some folks have said to leave her alone, while other's have said to move her inside. So I'm torn on what to do. I would really like to get at least 1 or 2 chicks from this clutch, if not more.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

I am in the same boat...I live in Upstate NY and even though today is fairly nice, tomorrow calls for some snow...I have a silkie hen who decide to go broody two days ago. This would be my first experience with a broody hen and my first time hatching chicks if I let her stay on the eggs. I decided yesterday to go for it. She is still in the nestbox on the eggs outside but I'm am obviously going to have to move her inside once the temps drop into the 30's, 20's. I have no way of providing heat or even a lamp outside if had to. I've been doing a lot of reading and some folks have said to leave her alone, while other's have said to move her inside. So I'm torn on what to do. I would really like to get at least 1 or 2 chicks from this clutch, if not more.

It is unnatural for any bird (aside from maybe penguins) to try to hatch eggs in the winter. Therefore, In my opinion you should bring her inside if you are going to try it. Just saying.

 

[wowmanacat]

Mine is now on 16 eggs. I found some under the house where one of my hens likes to lay and not really knowing about them I put them under her. If they are bad she will let me know.

 

[TMNfarm]

My broody hatched 6 eggs a week ago and saved the only one from another broody who wasn't such a good momma. She and the 7 chicks are in my heated kennel building off of my barn right now. I'm trying to figure out how long to keep her there before I can put her and the chicks in the coop. She is a great momma, but I'm in Northern MN and it is COLD here!!

 

[Chloe77]

I'm raising one egg right now. I don't have an incubator. So I'm using a heating pad. ;D Epic fail, yes?

 

[Lynzi777]

I don't have heated coops or an incubator. So if I'm going to let her sit I will most likely have to bring her inside. Which I'm thinking about doing today. It's going to be a difficult task with how grouchy she has become. Trying to think of the best way to do this, someone already mentioned to me that moving her at night would be best.

 

[TMNfarm]

I have no idea if it will work for your hen, but a few of mine will squawk at me and peck my hand if I just reach under and try to get their eggs. I found that if I pet them a couple of times before I reach under them, then they're ok with it... Even my broodys didn't mind then. I moved mine from the coop to my heated kennel building by putting the eggs one by one into a bucket, then putting momma into the bucket too! (Big bucket... Horse water bucket...)

 

[Lynzi777]

Well thats what I figured I'd do - find something large enough for her to just sit in as well as get up to get food/water, since she won't be moving around too much anyway. Then if any hatch, I can work on a brooder to keep them all in.

 

[Jungleexplorer]

Well thats what I figured I'd do - find something large enough for her to just sit in as well as get up to get food/water, since she won't be moving around too much anyway. Then if any hatch, I can work on a brooder to keep them all in.

If I were you, I would move her to her new permanent (transportable) nest where she currently is, and then once she has accepted the new nest, I would wait until dark, cover her with a towel and move her inside. Some hens do not like to moved and will abandon the next if it is not done properly.