Hen gone broody in winter! PLEASE HELP!

[gimmie birdies]

I have a broody hen she is in her own nest box, and the other hens have been respecting her space, I do plan on putting a small door on her nest box, I have done this before, then let he out in the morning, Then she can stay in HER chosen spot.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

It will be a lot less nerve racking if you wait until it gets warmer.

I have to admit I'm in the same camp of thought. I have a broody right now, my extreme broody, Chewbacca. I have no intentions of letting her hatch anything right now. I really don't want the extra hassle when broodings so much simpler in the spring.

I am, however, loving that I have a nest warmer for the times I can't get out first thing in the morning. If the eggs sit an extra hour, they're still ok. I won't allow broodies to that in the summer...but right now she's quite handy.

 

[JesusHChicken]

This is so nervewracking.

It'll be all good. I crapped a brick when I came home one Sunday afternoon to find newly hatched chicks in the goat pen. It had just started to drop in temp.. getting around 30's at night, not nearly as cold as your region, but I still freaked. I couldn't find her clutch so I was totally unprepared. Probably did everything you could do wrong in the situation.

One thing I've learned starting my little homestead, animals are much more resilient than I expected. With ZERO help from me, my broody Barred Rock hatched 11 chicks. 3 Hatched in an incubator with one of those not making it.

I made a makeshift broody pen out of an old dog run left on the property using XL dog crate as a house. She did all the work. No warming light. I provide new bedding, warm fresh water (with a splash of apple cider vinegar), and feed. After about 4.5 weeks she was ready to join the flock. At about 9 weeks I moved pullets to the coop. By day 3 they all learned the coop was home. Everyone integrated really well with no fights.

It would be easier if it wasn't winter but I say give her a shot. Like others suggested, make sure she has easy access to food and water. She'll do the rest. If you can, throw a broody pen together and use a dog crate as a house. If you don't have one on hand goodwill/thrift stores might have some cheap ones, or Craigslist. Move her clutch at night, she won't know the difference.

Good luck!

 

[gimmie birdies]

Hi JesusH, I used to live on BI.

My broody hen has not been sitting long, I gave her some eggs to hatch out that are due this week. It got into the mid 30's here and that is warm! I have other eggs in incubators, and didn't want to baby 3 eggs , so letting mom do it. The 3 will be stagered, I have to bring in a chick and let the mom keep sitting,then the other 2, 4 days later. I am sure it will all work out. The eggs have LO dads, and the first egg will have a Blue isbar mom, so very blue! The last 2 have I believe a black wyandotte mom, but I think the babies will either be lavender or splash.

 

[gimmie birdies]