Broody in High Temp Weather Question

[Soltaria]

I live in Texas and it's not uncommon for the temps here to get in the 110-115 range and hold it all day. If I have a broody hen sitting on a clutch in those temperatures is it going to hurt the eggs? Would it hurt them to have them just sitting out in temperatures like that?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It can and yes it will hurt them to sit at 110. Anything at 104 or above for a few hours will kill embryos.
Provide lots of shade to the coop and use fans blowing across gallon jugs of ice.
If you read through the following thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/835798/5th-annual-byc-new-years-day-2014-hatch-a-long
there was someone in Australia or South Africa dealing with the same temps as you with a broody and she hatched some chicks.

 

[Soltaria]

Thanks. In that case I'm thinking it might be best to bring them indoors and put them in incubators when temps get that bad just to be safe.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I think I found part of the discussion.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/496101/broody-hen-thread/2840#post_12505107
You can search her posts before and after this to see what she did.

 

[Soltaria]

Thanks, I was having trouble locating it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Check out post 2846

 

[donrae]

I have a little broody and we just had temps into the mid 90s, kinda unseasonably early for us. I noticed she didn't always have all the eggs under her during that time, I'd check and there'd be 3 around her but not under her. Got another week or so until she hatches, so won't know until then how those eggs do, but I'm interested!