I had a broody hen all summer and her eggs never hatched so I didn't worry about her, just let her sit on her eggs and made sure she was still eating. When the eggs got stinky, I cleaned her nest.
The problem comes in that last week, she actually hatched two babies! Now normally I'd be thrilled, but last night we had a freeze, which is two weeks early for northern Wisconsin. Do I need to put a heat mat out or some other supplemental heat for the babies? I don't normally heat my coop, except that one year that it was -30 F for 6 weeks (brr!) but I normally don't have babies this late in the year.
They're fine this morning, running around with Mom. What do you think? I'd hate for her to lose her babies after she's tried so hard for them. For what it's worth, she's a jersey giant and I think the babies are araucana/jersey giant cross.
The problem comes in that last week, she actually hatched two babies! Now normally I'd be thrilled, but last night we had a freeze, which is two weeks early for northern Wisconsin. Do I need to put a heat mat out or some other supplemental heat for the babies? I don't normally heat my coop, except that one year that it was -30 F for 6 weeks (brr!) but I normally don't have babies this late in the year.
They're fine this morning, running around with Mom. What do you think? I'd hate for her to lose her babies after she's tried so hard for them. For what it's worth, she's a jersey giant and I think the babies are araucana/jersey giant cross.
