Broody now?

[bryan8]

Well my darn buff orp dicided that she was going to broody yesterday. I put her on golfballs and she's sitting happily. I want to put some ee eggs under her, will she be able to hatch them under these cold temps? It was 15 deg f this afternoon in the coop, and 3 outside.

Thanks eveyone.

~Bryan

 

[Southernbelle]

Yep, she can do it!

Last year my Silkies hatched year round and we got down to the single digits often. I never used a heat lamp on them or anything. I just made sure they were out of the wind and they had plenty of hay in their nests to keep the nest well insulated. They only get off the nest for a few minutes to eat/drink/poo and the eggs did fine.

Congrats on your broody!

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

I've got a cuckoo Marans that has made the same choice this week. I may have to give her a couple eggs! I was going to wait until March at least.

 

[squeakyballs]

Hey Southernbelle, after the eggs hatched did you do anything special with the chicks, or did you leave them with the silkies?

 

[Southernbelle]

Quote:
Definately left them with the Mama hen - SO much easier than taking care of them yourself! If she kept the eggs warm enough to hatch, she will keep the chicks warm enough to thrive. After they hatch, put a chick waterer and a chick feeder with chick starter in the pen with Mama. It's okay if she eats the chick starter, too. She'll show them the food, so there's no need to dip the chicks beaks in the food and water or anything, the Mama will show them everything.

 

[Garden Gal]

I had a hen go broody in November and she hatched a single chick on Dec. 16. It has been COLD in Virginia this winter - we had 8" of snow the week before Christmas and temps are around 16 in the mornings. The chick is doing fine! I put mom and chick in a large brooder after he hatched and put a light at one end to give them that option. The coop is insulated but not heated.