Can hen incubate in winter?

[countyroad1330]

One of my hens laid her first egg yesterday. I am not keeping lights on my chickens, so I'm wondering if it will stay warm enough for the egg to hatch. Probably not???

 

[rooster-red]

If she just layed her first egg then I doubt that she is broody, Hens usually don't lay eggs when broody.

I have a broody sitting on eggs right now, but I brought her inside and out of the cold so that the eggs have a better chance.

If this is her first egg, how do you know its fertile?

 

[countyroad1330]

I seriously doubt that it is fertile, but I was just curious for future reference.

 

[boilerjoe_96]

I am in Indiana and it is COLD!!!

Hen went broody Nov 26. She is still sitting. We seem to get a new chick every couple of days. Oldest two are 2 weeks old, yungest I helped get out of its shell last night(day 37).

We have had 11 inches of snow at times, it has been, at times, in the single digits at night.

So to answer your question yes they can still hatch eggs in the winter and in a northern winter.

mine are in a unheated barn. She didn't get heat until I added a lamp after the first ones hatched...