Heated dog dish as nest

[Blooie]

So adorable! But the point is this little girl has NO eggs to hatch...it's like a phantom broody experience.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Very valid points, @Lady of McCamley. My concern here isn't that she's broody during a cold snap - lots of people let their broodies raise chicks in winter and very successfully. You are an excellent example of that. My concern is that she is a lone hen and has been broody for so long after having her eggs taken away from her during this snap. I know you know how stubborn a broody can be, and often that she'll sit until she loses condition, body mass, feathers if broodiness continues for far longer than it would normally take a hen to set, brood, hatch, and then take the chicks out. This young chicken has no eggs to hatch.

Sorry Blooie...I missed the part where she had taken away the 10 eggs she was sitting on.

@OP...you've got a stubborn girl...personally, I'd let her hatch those eggs. I get excellent results in December/January hatches. The chicks do fine, and grow fast with the lengthening daylight. I usually have early laying hens.

But again...that's me.

If she is stubbornly sitting, I think just bringing her into the garage is enough. You probably don't need to heat her too.
LofMc

 

[Blooie]

Sorry Blooie...I missed the part where she had taken away the 10 eggs she was sitting on.

@OP...you've got a stubborn girl...personally, I'd let her hatch those eggs. I get excellent results in December/January hatches. The chicks do fine, and grow fast with the lengthening daylight. I usually have early laying hens.

But again...that's me.

If she is stubbornly sitting, I think just bringing her into the garage is enough. You probably don't need to heat her too.
LofMc

No problem, my friend..easy to do and we've all done it.

 

[ToniTalley]

If she is allowed to hatch even just a few eggs, then she won't be lonely anymore!!! Is there any way you can get a few fertile eggs for her?

 

[christwodog]

Well, I don't know if this would work for you, but in my chick brooder boxes I have used a reptile "hot rock", they don't get that hot, especially if you wrap some old towels over it. Just an idea...

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I guess I'm still missing the point here.

Won't keeping her warm prolong her broodiness?

Heating her tummy is not a good idea if you don't want her to keep brooding.

While a broody box this time of the year could be dangerous for the hen, and I totally get it is the concern for the hen's health, I'm just not convinced keeping her warmer, espcially from below is going to improve things.

I'd just sit her in the garage which is out of weather, wind, and draft, and see how she does. Moving her to a different cage may help break her brood.

You may need to take her out several times a day to get her moving to break her brood if she is stubborn.

But warming her from below will only increase her mothering instincts....or creating a little tent to keep her cozy and warm.

Just my take.
Lofmc

 

[Blooie]

Which is why I originally said I was more worried about her prolonged time of being broody this way than being warm, and didn't think a heating pad under her would help. And then I got carried away with the "warm" part. I don't know how I got swept up - it wasn't even my original concern. I am old and easily distracted.

 

[3riverschick]

Thank you all so much for weighing in . so much valuable advice here. well, I have a lot to think about and a lot of good suggestions to try. I'll let you know how it works out . once again, thank you so much for your wisdom and experience!! I don't have a rooster to give her fertile eggs. I have to think about this .thank you so much for everything!
Karen

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Which is why I originally said I was more worried about her prolonged time of being broody this way than being warm, and didn't think a heating pad under her would help. And then I got carried away with the "warm" part. I don't know how I got swept up - it wasn't even my original concern. I am old and easily distracted.

Oh Blooie... it's not you... I obviously am having a hard time figuring out what's going on today...I think my brain isn't quite ready for a New Year....

OP will have to figure out if it is better for the hen to heat or not heat....as there are arguments on both sides depending upon hen and environment.

I vote not heat, move, shuffle, and break the brood if you don't want chicks now....but watch the hen to see if she is getting too emaciated or locked up in cold.

LofMc

 

[3riverschick]

Well I had an original idea. oh go check the hygrometers in the garage leftover from hatching season. they say it's 28 degrees in the garage. so it's not as cold as I felt it was.
I did find a radiant heat panel that I can afford. it stands vertically . I could put it outside her cage or inside. it can sit on the chips. so I may do that. but I think I'm going to watch her for one more day and see how it goes. thank you for all of your help! I appreciate it!