Ash, even my girls, who have thus far been troopers, have stopped laying these last few cold days! It will get better soon!
Those are great photos indeed!
Bucka, I am interested in some brown leghorns! if I end up ordering we can split or if you find a good source let me know.
Lazy Gardener, same deal - if I don't just order some hatching eggs and end up ordering from a hatchery I would like to share an order with someone/ a few people. I am in Cumberland just south of Gray so depending on location keep me in mind. I would ideally like to order for April, maybe a bit earlier.
If I order hatching eggs from an auction in the next month, and have my broody girl on them - if they hatch - should i let them stay in the coop and see how she does as a mama OR should I remove them and bring them into the basement until they feather out? I only have one coop and it is hard to divide the space. If it was warmer I would just build a brooding pen for outside. I know the other older chickens can be rough on little ones but I have also heard of people letting the babies stay with the group without many issues. Opinions?
I have a feeling is that the answer is that I should wait to get hatching eggs till it is warm enough out for a brooding pen. I hope my one girl is still interested in setting by then
I'm sure others will be much better with broody advice. I've only had one experience. I had eggs in the incubator and gave 2 to my broody. They both hatched, but one died for some reason.
I did have mother and her eggs separated, but several days after the chick hatched, they escaped their enclosure. I think maybe the chick found a small opening, and the hen had to barge her way out to protect it. A few of the adult hens pecked at the chick, but all appeared well at first. A few days later, the chick had a fairly decent gash on it's chest, so I had to separate again.
I left them together until the hen tired of it, maybe 6 weeks, and then I removed her and gave the chick other chicks his age. He was terrified of them. He is now our rooster, and I like him a lot because he is afraid of people. If I pick up a hen and they squawk, he comes running, but backs off as soon as he sees me. After having roosters that attack me, I think he is perfect!
And I'm pretty sure I got my first Dorking egg too! 
