Can eggs hatch if nest is on the ground?

[CarlisChickens]

Hi all,

I have a broody who has successfully raised several clutches in the past. She has been sitting on a clutch of eggs now for at least 4 days.

They are underneath the coop in the dirt.

Has anybody had chicks successfully from a nest laid in the ground?

My main concern is that the ground won't be warm enough. Our average nighttime temperature has been -7 to 0 (celsius). There's no straw or grass under the eggs, and no way of getting it in there. Any hope?

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Oh yeah. It should be fine. If she were in the wild, she’d likely be on the ground. As a kid, we had 100% free range chickens as pets, and every spring my sister and I would hunt for the nest so we could get ready for hatching day. They were all on the ground save for one time a hen nested on the top of a wide fence post protected on two sides by a taller fence behind it. We worried the chicks would fall and die.

When I let one of my broody hens hatch out chicks a couple years ago, I purposely set up a nesting box on the ground for her. I think the thing you’ll need to worry about the most is keeping her safe from predators. Also, we sometimes had ants get into the eggs during the hatching process, so when the day arrives, if you can, you might want to check the hatching eggs for any pests. Good luck!

 

[neo71665]

They hatch em like that all the time.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

I think she’ll be fine. Our bantam Cochin hatched hers mostly on the ground.

 

[CarlisChickens]

Oh excellent, thank for all the replies!