Help! Silkie hen is broody - - is it too cold??

[curtsey13]

I'm not sure if this is the right topic to post to, but I need some advice

My youngest Silkie hen has gone broody and is sitting on two little eggs !! Is it too early to let her hatch them? We live in NJ and we have a nice and toasty coop, but we are new to the chicken world, so I'm not sure what would be needed for the little chicks to survive. Help!!

Thanks so much!
Tara

 

[abhaya]

mom should do the job. If she can keep them warm enough to hatch she can keep them warm enough to survive out of the egg too. If the coop is nice and toasty they should be fine

 

[curtsey13]

We are averaging between 30 - 45 degrees in our coop (depending on the snow storm

) Our water hasn't frozen yet in the coop, even when the outside temp drops to 20 degrees, so I'm pretty sure that we have a solid coop set up. This is our first winter with the chickens and I've been a nervous wreck about keeping them comfortable.. and now babies!! Is there anything special that we should do to keep her seperate from the rest of the flock? Or do the give each other the needed space?

 

[emzee]

One time I let one of our hens hatch eggs in the coop and the other hens practically ate the first chick that popped out. So I would advise separating the hen.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

You may want to put her and her nest inside a cage with food and water to protect them from the other birds but other than that she should be fine to hatch babies at this time of year. She will keep them warm. Godd luck

 

[Judy]

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/Broody-Hens-1.html

 

[curtsey13]

Thanks so much for all of the info. When we designed our coop (10 X 12), we divided it in half with a wire wall and door, nesting boxes and roost on both sides and a pop door and separate runs - just in case we had chickens that didn't get along, sick one, or babies

So i think i will just close the door and let "Fluffy" have her own side! Just hope no one else decides to go broody... or could I put the broody hens together? there are six nesting boxes on each side. This is so exciting!!!!

 

[oconnorfamily25]

Do you have a heat lamp on in your coop? That will enable the chicks to survive, combined with Mama's feathers.