Is my girl broody?

[tinakevin]

I don’t want babies in this weather even tho I know the mama will do her job its way too cold right now . The cage method is the best way to break her. (In my opinion)

 

[krodgers]

Unless she is staying in the nest box over night, she is not broody.

I don’t want babies in this weather even tho I know the mama will do her job its way too cold right now . The cage method is the best way to break her. (In my opinion)

how cold is it where you are?

 

[tinakevin]

Its going down to 20 degrees tonight. The days r in the 20’s and 30’s. The nights get down into the teens. We r on an upswing right now lol

 

[krodgers]

Its going down to 20 degrees tonight. The days r in the 20’s and 30’s. The nights get down into the teens. We r on an upswing right now lol

We are a bit warmer than that right now. Lol. Next Thursday is going to be 79. But last week the lows were in the 30s. There’s no telling what it will be here at any given moment.

 

[tinakevin]

Oh how I wish we had that weather. I think with temps like that it would be ok to hatch chicks. But keep an eye out because some hens like to hatch eggs but are terrible moms. I have one like that. She will sit forever but then she killed her baby.

 

[krodgers]

Oh how I wish we had that weather. I think with temps like that it would be ok to hatch chicks. But keep an eye out because some hens like to hatch eggs but are terrible moms. I have one like that. She will sit forever but then she killed her baby.

Oh no! I have no idea what kind of mama this one would be. I’d hate to have her hatch some then not mother them. I’m sure we will have more cold snaps. It’s probably too risky to try to hatch some. I might have to cage her. Maybe in the spring I’ll let them hatch some.

 

[aart]

Unless she is staying in the nest box over night, she is not broody.

Took the words right off my fingers! That is key, IMO.

If you can set her up in a good spot, separated by wire from other birds, it's not too early to let her hatch. I've done it.

But first, think it thru:
You'll need to decide if you want her to hatch out some chicks, and how you will 'manage' it.
Do you have, or can you get, some fertile eggs?
Do you have the space needed? She may need to be separated by wire from the rest of the flock.
Do you have a plan on what to do with the inevitable males? Rehome, butcher, keep in separate 'bachelor pad'?
If you decide to let her hatch out some fertile eggs, this is a great thread for reference and to ask questions.
It a long one but just start reading the first few pages, then browse thru some more at random.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread


If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience went like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest, I put her in a wire dog crate with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop with fed and water

I let her out a couple times a day(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two.

Feed and water added after pic was taken.