Broody hen question

[silkies4penny]

hey there all I have 7 eggs in my incubator that will be hatching in the next ten days, Im wondering how long I should plan on keeping them out of the weather. I live in WV and it gets pretty cold here in January and February. (lows in the single digits). I have a broody hen, and was wondering if I could utilize her after the chicks hatch, to help keep them warm... kinda like a foster mom would this work? I have a place set up in the garage for the chicks that will last a few weeks, and I have a heat lamp in the hen house that keeps it from freezing, but Im starting to think I may have house chickens till spring. Is there a way to use my broody hen to make us all happy?

 

[silkies4penny]

Anyone?! would love some insight on how to deal with these chicks till spring...

 

[henney penny]

If your hen is still broody when the babies hatch take them out at night and take any eggs that the broody has and slip the babies under her,she will take care of the babies,keep an eye on her to make sure, if she is not a good mom as far as keeping them warm you will have to bring them in the house and put them under a heat lamp.They have to stay warm utill they feather out which is about 6 weeks. and then if you put them outside you will still have to have a warm place for them to go.

 

[Frost Homestead]

you could try to give them to your broody. try placing them with her at night once she's resting and calm.

is the broody hen a silkie? if so that may increase the chances of whether or not she'll accept them. if the broody is with all your other chickens I would suggest isolating her with the chicks so that none of the others can harm them. she should be able to keep them warm. if she doesn't accept them I would just keep them in a brooder in the garage with a light until they are feathered in

edited to add: ha! I was apparently typing the same thing at the same time as henny penny!

 

[silkies4penny]

yes, she is a white silkie, she would be taking 7 chicks if Im lucky. I have a roo, but he has his own place, so I can keep the hen alone with the chicks in the hen house under a heat light. You have answered my questions, I was hoping I could put the babies once dry under her in the hen house instead of just assuming they need to go into a brooder.

 

[macdoogle2]

I actually placed 5 eggs from my incubator under a broody at lockdown. I candled them and placed 5 good one under her. I kept 5 in the bator. All are hatching this weekend. I gave her the OEs that I want to keep. I did have to move her to a private inclosure because my top hen was getting too agressive torward the broody once the chicks started hatching.