I thought the Queen Mother bit might have got someones attention but it seems not, I could really do with advice on this. As I said in last message I need to know of any special reqirements for late hatches I checked the eggs this morning (Sunday 19 days) and I have heard pipping from a couple. They are living in my shed with the rest of my brood although they are seperated. I have made sure they are warm dry draught free etc. I need to know if they can go outside with the hen in a couple of days like the last brood did in the summer, or should I keep them in for the winter or untill they are fully feathered ? I would really appreciate one of you wise folks sharing your experience. Thanksyou.

I have a similar story and would also like to know if they should be let out in the winter. Is it important for little ones to get out in the summer?

I have chicks in boxes in a spare bedroom, lights hung over each box. The chicks are now 1, 2, and 2-1/2 weeks old. They will remain there another week or so, then go to larger pens, light over them to temperature of 80f. They will likely be indoors until about 3 months of age--temp. is 26f outside tonight--will steadily get colder. To compensate for lack of sunshine, they will get cod-liver oil sandwiches 3 or 4 x a week. They will hopefully be able to go out to the poultry houses and get sunshine through an open window now and then. I do not let my houses go below 32f during the winter months. They can stand lower temperatures, but I simply do not want to risk frozen combs on the cocks, frozen eggs in the nests, nor frozen water. The older birds can go outside--in netting-covered yards, whenever it is sunny and the ground is dry--even dry-freeze, but I never let them go out in snow or rain or on wet ground. ( Bantams--clean legged, single combs.) Lots of big birds are hardy and can take the wet or cold. Why risk chill when you have little birds you value? Not mine! CJR

We recently had a broody hen hatch five eggs, and we could tell when it was too cold outside for them by the way they acted toward her. When they were comfortable, they would often be out and about picking and scratching, but when it got cool, they would get beneath her wings and stay there. As CJR has said, do not put them out when it is raining or really cold, or when the ground is wet. You might wish to let them out during the warmest part of the day for an hour or so for exercise and some greens, then put them back in. If you have a sheltered warm side of a building, you might build a biddy pen in which they can scratch about but remain warm enough to be comfortable. We move our biddy pen about during the day when the grass gets picked over. When the young ones are mostly feathered out, they go out on their own with mom more and more and only get kept in on the worst days. When it is windy, we protect them with boards or cover so they are not forced to become chilled. Biddy will sometimes show you where she wants to be if given a choice.
I would urge you to vaccinate them for Marek's disease if you can manage it. Good luck.

What is the reason for insuring they get sunshine? What does the cod liver oil do? Is artificial light in the coop ok? (I have a 60 watt bulb and a red heat lamp.) what will happen to the chickens without sufficient sunlight -- my coop has no windows.

Sunshine and cod liver oil provide vitamin D, which is necessary for the prevention of rickets in chickens and other animals. My opinion is that artificial light only is not as good as real sunlight. Is it possible to install a window on the sunny side of your building? Your chickens will be the better for it. Use artificial light to extend their days and keep them warm.