Help with broody hen in cold temps

[salsss]

You may want to watch her on hatch day as if those chicks manage to get out of the nest they won't be able to get back in. Often other hens will kill chicks if they can get to them, so you may want to also separate them out but still within the coop for a week or two while chicks get stronger and learn to follow mom more.

Thanks that sounds like a good idea. I was worried about changing food etc. and opening the door for draft...I guess she will keep them warm!!

 

[aart]

Would might be pretty easy to fence off under there.
I made a ramp for broody chicks.
These were Jan-Feb chicks..it was frigid cold, but luckily hatch day was a thaw day.

 

[salsss]

So...I decided to interfere with nature...and put a panel in front of the nest box with food and water inside...I opened up the inside to make the space larger. So this morning i hear a commotion and she knocked it down and couldn't get back in...eggs were stone cold. I took them inside and warmed them up and thought I heard movement (they were viable). So they're back under her with the barrier down. Maybe she'll get one or two? There were 3 eggs left under her and she had started with 6. No evidence of the other three except a bit of crushed shell. Any ideas about what might happen? Hatch day is tomorrow. I THINK I heard movement in two of the eggs...

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

If she hatches the eggs I'd remove the partition and put food and water in there for the chicks and mom. Also put a ramp so that if a chick falls or jumps it can get back to the nest. Otherwise put up a block of some sort to keep that from happening.