Can chicks survive winter temps ?

[karlamaria]

I live in a very cold winter climate. Temps can get -25 below or more . My question is, can a mama hatch and raise chicks in this cold climate?
My hen is broody, and I have a chance to put some eggs under her now, my question is when they hatch it will be the beginning of October, it starts to get cold by the middle of October, and by the first of November its been -20 or colder . My coop is insulated, it's attached to a run which is totally wrapped in winter with clear plastic to keep winds and snow out. ( there run is totally dry all winter)
I could add a heat lamp in my coop as I have it hooked to electricity also. Can I let her hatch out a few chicks, or is this unwise at this time of year?

 

[ronott1]

I live in a very cold winter climate. Temps can get -25 below or more . My question is, can a mama hatch and raise chicks in this cold climate?
My hen is broody, and I have a chance to put some eggs under her now, my question is when they hatch it will be the beginning of October, it starts to get cold by the middle of October, and by the first of November its been -20 or colder . My coop is insulated, it's attached to a run which is totally wrapped in winter with clear plastic to keep winds and snow out. ( there run is totally dry all winter)
I could add a heat lamp in my coop as I have it hooked to electricity also. Can I let her hatch out a few chicks, or is this unwise at this time of year?

the chicks will be fully feathered in six weeks. Will it get to -25 by the the middle of November?

Last winter a guy had chicks hatch in Montanna in January. The Mom and chcks lived in a stall in a horse stall. The chicks made it fine.

If in doubt, you could put them into a brooder.

Ron

 

[Fred's Hens]

It's close, but you'll make it. I got chicks two years ago in September. They were fully feathered and out of the brooder by Halloween. They wintered through one our worst in years, with one unforgettable night of -30F and a half dozen more at -22 or so. Tough stuff. Not only were they fine, they began laying in February. Oh, and I don't heat the barn.

Again, you're on the cusp, but I'd do it.

 

[karlamaria]

the chicks will be fully feathered in six weeks. Will it get to -25 by the the middle of November?

Last winter a guy had chicks hatch in Montanna in January. The Mom and chcks lived in a stall in a horse stall. The chicks made it fine.

If in doubt, you could put them into a brooder.

Ron

I live in Montana lol, it's pretty cold here, heck I remember a few years ago it was 28 below on holloween . It depends, some years real real cold, some years not so cold right away. I could brood them, but it's not a good idea as I have only one pen, one coop and the mama can take real good care of them and not let the others harm them, but if I brood them well I have to reintroduce them into the flock, that's going to be impossible during the winter. When I got 4 pullets this spring, I had a heck of a time adding them to my flock. I had to fence them off to keep the big girls from them, in the winter it's just to cold to fence them off . If she hatches eggs we would need to keep her and chicks together.

 

[karlamaria]

It's close, but you'll make it.  I got chicks two years ago in September.  They were fully feathered and out of the brooder by Halloween.  They wintered through one our worst in years, with one unforgettable night of -30F and a half dozen more at -22 or so.  Tough stuff.  Not only were they fine, they began laying in February.  Oh, and I don't heat the barn.

Again, you're on the cusp, but I'd do it.

I was thinking the same thing, why wait until next August to get spring chicks to lay . This way they will be laying in the spring and I will not have to Deal with the long summer wait lol. Plus that broody hen broods all the time! I think she has been broody every 2 months since I go her!

 

[karlamaria]

Well i gave mama 12 eggs, I plan to keep 2 and let my friend have the other 10. I will keep them all until mama decides she is done raising them and then off they go. Im excited as I put a mixture of eggs under her ,. it will be a big suprise as to what I get.