Hatching in Fall

[Dirty Dozen]

Am just pipping 3 banties under a broodie. I'd love to try some supermarket eggs! What does everyone do with chix born in the fall? It's too cold by me to put them out at 6 weeks. Do you keep them inside?

 

[MagsC]

I kept mine in a little room off of the house until spring.(Its separate and not heated, during the cold I did run a electric heater out there) Lots of dust though working hard and keeping it clean every day cut down on that a great deal.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I use an old deep freeze as a brooder.

 

[Kovalciks Chickens]

I keep them in my room in a cardboard box for a brooder with a heat lamp.

 

[Rollins2708]

I built a chicken tractor with an enclosed section to lock them up in. I had a light in it at night and on warmer days I let them out to walk around a bit and then close them back up at night.

 

[lauralou]

Are you planning on taking them away from the broody hen? And just exactly how cold is it where you are?

I ask because I always let my broodies raise their babies. The babies are fine, even when it's so cold I can see my breath. It used to be a real shock to me, seeing tiny little peeps running around in the cold. They seem so fragile when you raise them indoors in a brooder. But they are very hardy if you let the hen take care of everything.

Bear in mind that I'm in Virginia. It does get quite cold here. Not Far North cold, though.

 

[Dirty Dozen]

I'm talking about eggs that hatch in Sept. They'll be feathered in Nov (silkies). Was gonna keep em in basement with a light til spring?

 

[walkswithdog]

Fully feathered birds are fully feathered birds. Whether a fully feathered bird survives your winters is the question.

I brood mine in the well house if I have fuzzies over winter that I incubate. I live in TN anything born under a hen the hen rears, no matter the time of year. Anything fully feathered goes out in the coop, usually a heat light if they're still young and it's snowing.

I have one whole 10 x 10 coop this year that I can use as a winter brooder - omg the temptation...

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

If you start hatching when everyone else is quitting come spring your the only one with hens to sell. Everyone else has chicks. There is a big demand for hens the first of spring.

 

[Dirty Dozen]

I'm talking fully feathered but young...4 months? I live on Long Island...it gets cold! my big ones do fine... just didn't know if i would have to keep younger ones in all winter. Vera