Let me start by saying that I am in NH and although we are experiencing a slight thaw (low 30's during the day) it is below freezing MUCH of the time and will be for the next couple of months. My one bantam hen (i think she is an araucana, excuse the poor spelling) has decided she is not moving off of her clutch of eggs. At least one of which is not hers. She is currently in a nest box that is shielded from the outside by a piece of 3/4" plywood. It does have a fair amount of hay in it. I'm not concerned about the eggs getting cold because she will not move regardless of what I do. I'm worried about the possibility of the eggs successfully hatching. Then what do I do? 9 hens, a standard (mean as a son of a gun) roo and 1 bantam roo share a 4x8 coop. They refuse to go outside with the snow but normally have the run of the 3+ acres (and occasionally the neighbors' yards). What I'm saying is that they are only crowded in there b/c they choose to be. They always have the option to go out. Do I see if they successfully hatch and seperate them from the hen and bring them inside to a brooder? Will that upset the natural balance of things? I'd prefer not to break her of this broodiness. Will they survive the temps with the mom if I seperate them from the rest of the chickens? Do I have to separate them? I need some advice and although Storey's book is very helpful in some instances, I would like to hear what you guys have to say based on your experiences.
