I have a silkie X EE who has gone broody this week. She is VERY adament that she isn't giving up, and very vocal about it. I live in Western KY, and my fear is that they aren't going to stay warm enough if she hatches them. I can put them in a small dog house full of straw and put them somewhere out of the wind, in our building, garage, or maybe on the porch, but I cannot plug up a heatlamp as it would be very dangerous and would involve multiple extension cords strung across the yard. I would love to let her have the three eggs she's on and give her three duck eggs. I'm normally opposed to letting chickens hatch ducklings, but a lot of my ducks (my favorites too) were killed this year by a coyote and I would love to have some more. I think its too cold, but she isn't going to give up and she'll just set down there for 21 days anyway, even if on nothing. What should I do? Should I try it or just let her set down there on nothing until she snaps out of it?
My broodies are sitting on pine chips until they snap out of it. But, I don't want babies right now. If I were in your shoes, I'd let her hatch some ducks, if you can find someplace warm and safe for them. Maybe you can set up a nursery on the porch? She will keep em warm - at least as long as they can fit under her. Plenty of people incubate during winter, so I don't see that it would be a bad thing.
Life's too short, go for it. Nothing I could do. Chickens are taking over the world. <------your excuse
Put her in a preditor proof area and let her hatch some. Not too many for the first time in case she doesn't stay with it. My 28 wk old Barred Rock went broody in Aug. Sitting for 2 months before I gave in and got her some fertile eggs. Candled them and put 4 of the best ones under her. She hatched out all 4 four wks ago. She's the best momma. I didn't seperate her from the other sweet hens because I didn't want to have to reintroduce them all later. Good luck with your little momma.
i have hens with chicks and one last broody on eggs now. It's not getting too cold here, maybe into the 30's at night. Once they get close to hatch i move them into the shed. There is electrical in there, but i'm not using a heat lamp. i just wanted to keep them out of the wind, although it does get cold in there. They all seem fine. i say go for it.
