I went outside to close up my chickens' tractors. My hen gertrude's brood is in the nest bucket, but mama is no where around. You can imagine my fear, for I had just seen her outside sitting on them in the yard. I started looking around for her, and of course, she has decided to go to roost in the barn with the other chickens.
Will her chicks be okay in the nest by themselves?
It is supposed to be 55 degrees tonight, should I put a light on them?
Or should I wait till it gets darker, and grab her off the roost and put her in the tractor with them?
This is her first brood, so she is still a little green, but she has done very well with them so far. She started out with 13 chicks, and still has them all. They free range all day, with loose dogs in the yard, and hawks flying overhead daily, so this is no small feet.
Oh by the way, the chicks are either 4 or 5 weeks old, I can't remember for sure.
Will her chicks be okay in the nest by themselves?
It is supposed to be 55 degrees tonight, should I put a light on them?
Or should I wait till it gets darker, and grab her off the roost and put her in the tractor with them?
This is her first brood, so she is still a little green, but she has done very well with them so far. She started out with 13 chicks, and still has them all. They free range all day, with loose dogs in the yard, and hawks flying overhead daily, so this is no small feet.
Oh by the way, the chicks are either 4 or 5 weeks old, I can't remember for sure.