Broody hen- Dealing with the heat

[maggie&thechicks]

I have a broody hen (BO) that I'd like to let hatch some eggs. She has done this before and is a very good setter and mother but I'm concerned about the heat this time. It wasn't so hot before; now it's >90*, sometimes as high as 98* in the daytime, high humidity. She has a stall in the barn with a fan but when I give her her eggs she will not leave the nest for longer than a couple minutes a day. She won't let me feed her or give her water, she just "zones out". I don't want to lose my hen to heat stroke! She lost a lot of weight the last time she brooded. Right now I can "dump" her out of the nest and she will eat and drink and poke around for an hour or so before she goes back but she doesn't have any eggs.

Ideas?

Thanks,
Maggie

 

[FireTigeris]

do what you are doing...

 

[jossanne]

Quote:

 

[suebee]

Maggie, I hear ya...In NC too. I've got 5 hens broody in the coop. They won't budge. I've physically taken them out to get cold drinks, snacks, etc.

I have all windows and doors open and a fan on high....still so darn hot. Supposed to be 99 on Thursday. I've only had a chicken die when the temp reached 106 outside, in 2007. Just hope they'll be OK.

 

[macmama]

Mine are brooding in 110 degree weather with no problems-- but I do make sure they're shaded all day, and I do physically remove them and make sure they drink every day.

 

[AZKat]

I had chicks successfully hatch when the temp was over 100 during incubation. If its hot, the hen will keep the eggs from getting too hot. Trust your broody, she knows what she's doing.

 

[atira]

My broody only has 7 days to go before hatching and the heat here is in the 90's with high humidity. She is barely sitting on the nest but she is constantly panting. The pen/coop is shaded on top and half way down the sides on 3 sides and the coop has 2 open windows and an open door. She is so hot. One of the other hens decided to pick on her and try to get her off of the nest but she wouldn't budge and took the beating. The offending hen went to "chicken jail" which is a portable run but with this heat she can't be out there with no shade. So I am seeking counseling for her and her aggression and attitude problems.
I worry about my broody, but I trust that she knows more than I do about raising chicks.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I have 3 broodies right now. 2 of them have decided to share the same nest, so I gave them 5 turkey eggs to share. Those eggs are due in 6 days. I always keep 3-4 large gallon size jugs of water/ice in the freezer and I sit them out each morning in different places and I always put one in the coop with the broody girls. You can also sit the frozen jugs in front of a fan to cool the blowing air.

 

[Morrisbacon]

my silkie hen got off her eggs 2 hours ago, its still 90 degrees and day 18. will she go bak in? I don't have and incubator, just another broody hen on 5 eggs.