Need advice on broody pullet!

[JellyrollBrahma]

I have a pullet who has been laying a couple of months. She recently decided to stay on the eggs in the nesting box. The problem is, its cold outside averaging at 20 degrees, but has gone down in the single digits. The coop it warmer since its right against the house, and her nest is against the house, but I am concerned she isn't eating and won't be able to stay warm enough.
She has seemed fine and we try to hand feed her which she accepts some of the time. We are excited because we really wanted a chicken that would sit on eggs so we don't want to discourage her, but we also want our chickens not frozen. Do you think she will be alright? If we moved her, what are the chances she will want to sit again? She's been dedicated to the eggs for 4 days.

 

[Sagey_7878]

Celsius or Fahrenheit?

 

[JellyrollBrahma]

Celsius or Fahrenheit?

Fahrenheit

 

[Wezdin]

Hi! she will will be fine if she is in good health, what breed is she? People have hatched from broodies in winter with success. The thing is do you want chicks with a 50/50 chance of being roosters?

 

[Sagey_7878]

Hi! she will will be fine if she is in good health, what breed is she? People have hatched from broodies in winter with success. The thing is do you want chicks with a 50/50 chance of being roosters?

X2, just make sure she isn’t suffering and that the chicks are developing well in the eggs.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Do you think she will be alright? If we moved her, what are the chances she will want to sit again?

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

She is likely eating at least once or twice per day, you just aren't seeing her.

I would break her or move her either way. I break pullets and they (she) WILL sit again. I haven't yet had a gal go broody only once in her life. And the ones that do so this early into laying are often excessively broody in my experience.

Main issue I see is she is predator bait sitting in an unsecured location.

Best wishes!

 

[aart]

The problem is, its cold outside averaging at 20 degrees, but has gone down in the single digits.

I would break her pronto.
Have let a broody hatch in frigid temps, and would not do it again.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.

 

[aart]

Oh, and.....Welcome to BYC! @JellyrollBrahma
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[JellyrollBrahma]

I would break her pronto.
Have let a broody hatch in frigid temps, and would not do it again.

If you don't want her to hatch out chicks, best to break her broodiness promptly.
My experience goes about like this: After her setting for 3 days and nights in the nest (or as soon as I know they are broody), I put her in a wire dog crate (24"L x 18"W x 21"H) with smaller wire on the bottom but no bedding, set up on a couple of 4x4's right in the coop or run with feed and water.

I used to let them out a couple times a day, but now just once a day in the evening(you don't have to) and she would go out into the run, drop a huge turd, race around running, take a vigorous dust bath then head back to the nest... at which point I put her back in the crate. Each time her outings would lengthen a bit, eating, drinking and scratching more and on the 3rd afternoon she stayed out of the nest and went to roost that evening...event over, back to normal tho she didn't lay for another week or two. Or take her out of crate daily very near roosting time(30-60 mins) if she goes to roost great, if she goes to nest put her back in crate.

Chunk of 2x4 for a 'roost' was added to crate floor after pic was taken.
View attachment 1986619

Thank you for being so thorough! I really appreciate it!

 

[JellyrollBrahma]

Oh, and.....Welcome to BYC! @JellyrollBrahma
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 1986621

Thank you! I just added it. I'm in New Hampshire.