Witchychickens
Songster
we have a flock of 7 chickens, 1 silkie, her other silkie friend died when they were only a few days old.
she has done wonderfully with her regular chicken friends and holds her own just fine. She would roost with the girls just fine. Now that it’s getting cooler in Massachusetts she is usually in the nesting box alone at night. she also happens to seem broody (sitting on others eggs and hers for a prolonged time, some hissing and odd noises when on nesting box) so I cannot tell if she is cold or broody. Will she lay in the nesting box with no eggs at night if broody or is she cold? We planned to run a plug in with the brooding plate at night for her when it got really cold but it’s not that cold yet. We usually move her to the roost with her friends but I’m wondering if I should leave her in the nest? She is alone and I feel bad. We were planning to add a couple more including one silkie this spring when someone is broody (slide a couple chicks under broody mama and take non fertile eggs as we do not have a rooster). Was hoping to give her a friend next spring.
Do we think she is cold or do we think broody or both?
We are going to cover their run with plastic this weekend and one half of the vent in the back. The south facing side vent spans the whole length of the coop (like 10 feet). We were planning to plastic off that one side where their roosts are and leave the further end uncovered. I have a window I can open for ventilation if needed in the winter during the day. We have a vent spanning 10 feet on the north and south sides of the coop. North side vent is inside the covered and protected run.
Any other ideas?
she has done wonderfully with her regular chicken friends and holds her own just fine. She would roost with the girls just fine. Now that it’s getting cooler in Massachusetts she is usually in the nesting box alone at night. she also happens to seem broody (sitting on others eggs and hers for a prolonged time, some hissing and odd noises when on nesting box) so I cannot tell if she is cold or broody. Will she lay in the nesting box with no eggs at night if broody or is she cold? We planned to run a plug in with the brooding plate at night for her when it got really cold but it’s not that cold yet. We usually move her to the roost with her friends but I’m wondering if I should leave her in the nest? She is alone and I feel bad. We were planning to add a couple more including one silkie this spring when someone is broody (slide a couple chicks under broody mama and take non fertile eggs as we do not have a rooster). Was hoping to give her a friend next spring.
Do we think she is cold or do we think broody or both?
We are going to cover their run with plastic this weekend and one half of the vent in the back. The south facing side vent spans the whole length of the coop (like 10 feet). We were planning to plastic off that one side where their roosts are and leave the further end uncovered. I have a window I can open for ventilation if needed in the winter during the day. We have a vent spanning 10 feet on the north and south sides of the coop. North side vent is inside the covered and protected run.
Any other ideas?
