My idiot pullet is setting. Outside. In below freezing temps.

[chickfused]

She's in a safe, dry, draft free place. I can't get to her though. We're going to have temps in the 20s overnight for weeks...she's due Thanksgiving day.. is she hosed? Any chance of babies?

 

[BlueBaby]

At those types of temp's I would think that both the hen and the egg's would freeze. It's not like the hen is in the coop with the rest of the flock that can all help each other to stay warm.

 

[Coops Dad]

Yes; one of our hens came out of the underbrush in February trailing a line of chicks. We're in central Texas and had overnight temps in the teens, plus rain, hail and snow.during that timeframe. We had nearly 70 chickens at that time and honesty didn't even miss her until she showed up again.

 

[BDutch]

No experience with broodies in winter. But I know that when it’s comes to breeding some say the hen nows best.

 

[chickfused]

She's a banty so I'm very worried about her. Couldn't care less about the eggs

 

[BDutch]

I have bantams too and no rooster. So I never let them hatch in the wild. Sometimes a broody hen went missing, but most hens come back to the run once a day to eat. Stay around for a while when you feed the flock

For me its easy to lock the chickens up for a while bc their run is big enough to stay inside. Free ranging is good for their mental and nutritional health, but not necessary.

If this is not possible for you try to find another way to catch her and lock her up until her broodiness stops.

 

[chickfused]

I have bantams too and no rooster. So I never let them hatch in the wild. Sometimes a broody hen went missing, but most hens come back to the run once a day to eat. Stay around for a while when you feed the flock

She's actually made herself.a cozy nest under a building in the run. They have about a tenth of an acre. I do see her occasionally but she's so far back in there, she's unreachable.

 

[Coops Dad]

She'll surprise you by being fine.

 

[chickfused]

I got her and her nest in..She promptly abandoned it. We now have 6 (of 20!!) eggs in the 'bator with development.

 

[BDutch]

Maybe wise to block the entrance to this spot?