Broody hens in the middle of heatwave.

[JessieKell]

I have three hens that went broody all at once. They are in the middle of week two brooding. My concern is that we have a random heatwave going on (temperatures in the mid 90s during the day). I’m really concerned that they are going to overheat in their nesting boxes especially because two of them for some reason decided to share a clutch. I don’t want to move them in fear of them getting so upset that they stop brooding because they are seriously irritated if you go anywhere near them. My questions are should I be concerned about them overheating and could it get too hot for the growing embryos. Would very much appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance!

 

[Little Chickadee]

I have three hens that went broody all at once. They are in the middle of week two brooding. My concern is that we have a random heatwave going on (temperatures in the mid 90s during the day). I’m really concerned that they are going to overheat in their nesting boxes especially because two of them for some reason decided to share a clutch. I don’t want to move them in fear of them getting so upset that they stop brooding because they are seriously irritated if you go anywhere near them. My questions are should I be concerned about them overheating and could it get too hot for the growing embryos. Would very much appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance!

We have the same conditions. We put a fan in the coop, facing her. We keep it on low. We also tapped the outside of the pen so the coop is shaded. We also keep a small bowl of water by her with ice during the hottest hours.

 

[Driley62]

I have three hens that went broody all at once. They are in the middle of week two brooding. My concern is that we have a random heatwave going on (temperatures in the mid 90s during the day). I’m really concerned that they are going to overheat in their nesting boxes especially because two of them for some reason decided to share a clutch. I don’t want to move them in fear of them getting so upset that they stop brooding because they are seriously irritated if you go anywhere near them. My questions are should I be concerned about them overheating and could it get too hot for the growing embryos. Would very much appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance!

I would think they'll be completely fine. Broody hens know when they need food and water and will get it when they see fit. I was concerned when my first hen went broody. I thought she wasn't eating because I had never seen her out of the nest box. When in all actuality she was getting out once or twice a day. It was just while I was gone to work.

If your super concerned and you have electric run to your coop it may not hurt to hang a small fan to help with air circulation if the wind is completely dead. I wouldn't run it non stop because of dust and fire concerns. But I'd run it on maybe a timer during the daylight hours maybe a few hours before through to a few hours after the hottest part of the day.

 

[JessieKell]

I would think they'll be completely fine. Broody hens know when they need food and water and will get it when they see fit. I was concerned when my first hen went broody. I thought she wasn't eating because I had never seen her out of the nest box. When in all actuality she was getting out once or twice a day. It was just while I was gone to work.

If your super concerned and you have electric run to your coop it may not hurt to hang a small fan to help with air circulation if the wind is completely dead. I wouldn't run it non stop because of dust and fire concerns. But I'd run it on maybe a timer during the daylight hours maybe a few hours before through to a few hours after the hottest part of the day.

Thank you so much for your help! I too was wondering whether they were leaving at all as I have not seen them. I went ahead and put their food and water right by the nesting box and ran a box fan that I’ll turn on during the hottest hours. I really appreciate your help!!

 

[Driley62]

Thank you so much for your help! I too was wondering whether they were leaving at all as I have not seen them. I went ahead and put their food and water right by the nesting box and ran a box fan that I’ll turn on during the hottest hours. I really appreciate your help!!

No problem! I've learned hens cam be stubborn but they also know their limits. We as people can be the most stubborn of all. We ignore warning signs of our limitations thus getting us hurt. That's where animals are unlike us. They listen to their own instinct. Even though chickens are among the bottom of the food chain, they still have their instinct that drives them. Especially a broody hen they still need to eat to keep their body temp up to incubate.

 

[Driley62]

Thank you so much for your help! I too was wondering whether they were leaving at all as I have not seen them. I went ahead and put their food and water right by the nesting box and ran a box fan that I’ll turn on during the hottest hours. I really appreciate your help!!

When the do leave the nest it's for fast and short increments. They come out run around like a mad woman eat, drink then right back in. My australorp mix was out and back in 10 minutes or less.

This is her with her first clutch that were adopted eggs. I tried taking eggs for a week or two to break her broodiness because at the time I didn't have the space and it was too early and cold in northern ny for them to easily survive even staying under mom. This was when I was confident the weather would break enough to give them a chance. They were then rehomed to a friend and one sadly passed a week or two later. I'm thinking it was the one I helped out because
1) I was eggcited and
2) I thought she abandoned them because the eggs were cold and she was hanging with the other birds rather than sitting.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have three hens that went broody all at once. They are in the middle of week two brooding. My concern is that we have a random heatwave going on (temperatures in the mid 90s during the day). I’m really concerned that they are going to overheat in their nesting boxes especially because two of them for some reason decided to share a clutch. I don’t want to move them in fear of them getting so upset that they stop brooding because they are seriously irritated if you go anywhere near them. My questions are should I be concerned about them overheating and could it get too hot for the growing embryos. Would very much appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance!

I would move one of the broodies that is sharing a box with the other and break her. Have you had 2 broodies share before? That's likely going to cause some issues when chicks start hatching.

I do agree, I would probably be concerned about the heat. They do seem to have the sense to move off the nest when it's hot, but if you have 2 sharing, they may be more reluctant to do so. My latest broody with chicks stayed off her nest for several hours a day during the hottest part of the day and my hatch turned out fine - she was taking care of herself, plus if she'd stayed, very likely the eggs would have gotten too hot. Just speculation on my part there.
A fan to circulate air may be a good idea as well.

 

[JessieKell]

Hi there! Thank you so much! So, this is all my first time with broody hens. I ended up putting fans up for each of them. I ended up just leaving the two brooding together, together. They seem extremely upset if I get anywhere near. They don’t seem to be bother one another so hopefully everything will be okay. I really appreciate your help. I will ask if you don’t mind (as this is all my first go around with hatching chickens) what exactly do I do after they hatch? They are inside a standard metal stack of nesting boxes. The two sharing a clutch are on about 15 eggs. That said, there isn’t going to be a whole lot of room once they hatch, and I’m assuming that babies would hurt themselves if they try to get out. I really don’t know what to do once they are here. I really appreciate your help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi there! Thank you so much! So, this is all my first time with broody hens. I ended up putting fans up for each of them. I ended up just leaving the two brooding together, together. They seem extremely upset if I get anywhere near. They don’t seem to be bother one another so hopefully everything will be okay. I really appreciate your help. I will ask if you don’t mind (as this is all my first go around with hatching chickens) what exactly do I do after they hatch? They are inside a standard metal stack of nesting boxes. The two sharing a clutch are on about 15 eggs. That said, there isn’t going to be a whole lot of room once they hatch, and I’m assuming that babies would hurt themselves if they try to get out. I really don’t know what to do once they are here. I really appreciate your help.

Can you post some photos?

Babies might get hurt with 2 broodies trying to brood them, broodies often fight as well. Just sayin'

They will want to take chicks off the nest to eat/drink, explore, etc. so they really need a place where they can do that.

 

[Auntiejessi3]