Should we even try to hatch this late

[Just4u2c]

Hello, So we are in our first year with chickens and have been enjoying the fresh eggs.. We bought them as day olds in early april.. Well just today we let a hen out and she went running as fast as she could to the hay shed and jumped way up to a little nest of her own she has made. There was already an egg there and she layed another today..
Does this mean she is going to go broody and try and hatch some cuties???
Our weather here is 50's as highs and mid 20 lows right now.. It will get colder soon but probably not that much colder.. We were talking about hatching a brood in spring cause we want more eggs.. But if we get some now we will take them.. Should we even try?? Will she be able to warm these up enough in days that may barely get into the 40s?? If they do hatch should we take them away and put them in a brooder right away?? is running over and laying eggs like that even a sign of broodiness?? We put a couple other breeds of eggs in her nest to speed up her pile of eggs and get more than just more RIR.. Any thoughts??

 

[Kevin565]

Yes you can hatch them this late in the year but I'm personally not a fan of it. It seems like much more hassle than just waiting until spring time.

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Im in the south and still setting eggs, but I am incubating and brooding myself and leaving my hens to do their thing. 70 eggs set yesterday aiming for at least 50 next week. Can your hen handle hatching and brooding some chicks this late? Probably. Just see what happens and learn from the experience.