September too late to hatch chicks?

[Snoopy]

I can feel the cold autumn already creeping in and was wondering if it is too late to set some eggs this week?
I can just see us with chicks in the house all winter....
Grateful for any advice,
Snoopy

[HensAloud]

I've got a broody that's hidden herself away, a little Rosecomb it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. She appears for food then she's gone again. So I'm going to be very interested in replies.

[Snoopy]

Hopefully your little broody knows what she is doing, mother nature and all that!
Or, you could end up with chicks in the house all winter
Snoopy

[kitla]

I think you'd be better to hold off till spring, you may be thinking of little fluffy
chicks in your house but they don't stay like that for long, then they get bigger,
poopy & make loads of dust as they grow their feathers. Work it out, they take
about 21 days to hatch, about 9/12 weeks till they're feathered up, by then it'll be
middle of winter when you'll be pushing them outside. (and feeling bad when
they sit shivering in their run looking at you wanting to come back in the warm!)

[Snoopy]

Hi kitla,
I think I knew it deep down.......
I'll just have to wait until Easter which is a very long time off.
I must not look at hatching eggs for sale, I must not look at hatching eggs for sale, I must not look at hatching eggs for sale...

Snoopy.

[manda]

I agree it's too late to purposely set some eggs ...for all the reasons Kitla said!

I've had hen's come out from under the hedge in the winter and the survival rate of those chicks is greatly reduced....despite having mum to sit under.

[HappyBob]

I set 6 light sussex eggs just over three weeks ago and 4 of them hatched but I think there is a strong possibility that they will be living in th house while spring

[ren41]

I'd really like to know what you do with them in the house during the winter. Where do you keep them? Do you put up a pen for them?

ren