mama hen hatching questions

[J Family]

We've only had chickens since summer...Totally in Love...just recently began getting eggs!!...wow...Now our Japanese bantam has been setting for 6 days. In short--we have no idea what to do if it hatches. My husband thinks we should bring the chick inside when/if it hatches and care for it ourselves...I'm horrified by the idea of separating them, but have no idea if she can actually care for it herself in the winter. We have a heat lamp in the coop and it keeps it around 40*F. If she can keep the egg warm, won't she keep her chick warm?? She is currently in a nest box that's about 3ft off the ground. I was hoping we could just make a cozy box at ground level in the corner of the coop and watch to be sure the others don't pick on her chick. If they do, then I know we should separate the mom and babe from the rest of the bunch--inside or outside?? And when would we move her to ground level, apparently before day 21, so the chick doesn't fall out. We have 5 other hens and a bantam rooster who all free-range during the day, so there's not much activity in the coop, except for laying.

Thanks for any advise.

 

[tiki244]

what part of country do you live in? how much longer till spring? USSually people separate broody in her own little cage for her and her chicks for at least till the chicks are a couple months old. I would definetly keep a heat lamp onand not motveo ground level

 

[Bantymama]

I have a broody hen. I moved her and the eggs last night. My hubby build me a small broody house that is portable and we put it in the garage that is floor heated and we keep it about 55 degrees. She is setting on her eggs in a bucket so we moved her bucket and all. The house is big enough to keep her and the babies in for 3 to 4 months. I don't what to find out what would happen if i left her and the babies with all the others. Due to the cold weather here i keep them all in the same pen to keep them warm. Today -15 and -45 below wind chill.