New chicken mama with a broody hen!

[Verl]

Ok...so i might sound dumb, but here goes...!
I got these 2 little bantams from a local farmer 2 months ago..i was told they were both hens, and while their combs do look different, I didn't think much of it.....until one of our hens started crowing last week!!! LOL.

So, that leads to my question...the one who is actually a hen and had has been laying eggs, is now a broody mama. She's been sitting on a couple eggs for 2 days now and I'm inclined to let her try to hatch them...but I am in southern Ontario and it is started to cool off...by the time the chicks are born ..if we get any...it will be pretty chilly outside. Is this a bad idea? We do not have a setup for a heat lamp out there. I know mama would keep them warm for a while but....

Thoughts???

 

[Rickba]

Let nature take it's course. Mommy hen will do just fine taking care of her eggs and chicks.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would make sure she has plenty of bedding under her to insulate against cold seeping in.

 

[azygous]

It's 45C under the broody hen, and when the chicks hatch, they will be toasty. After the first couple of days, the baby chicks won't even need to stay under their broody all the time. They'll begin to come out from under and explore the world a few inches away from the hen at a time.

By day three, they will be out eating and drinking, and in less than a week, playing and running around. I've had baby chicks less than a week running around on freezing days when the temp didn't get above 10C and they were only ducking back under their heat source occasionally to warm up. Nights were at 0 and they were snug and warm under their mama or a heating pad cave.

By the time your winter really gets cranking, the chicks will be feathered and fully insulated against freezing temps. I have ten week olds that no longer really need to be under their broody hen, but she allows them to snuggle under her wings on chilly nights.

So, they will all be just fine without a heat lamp. Save your electricity. They don't need it.

 

[sawilliams]

You will need to candle the eggs in about 3-5 days time and make sue they are fertile and growing. With both chickens being young he might not have got his bits right just yet