Can a nest be too hot? (wool underneath the nest)

[buttersbrood]

Hi there,

We have a broody hen on a nest, this is day 7. I'm wondering if the nest is too hot.

It's currently summer here.
There is a woolen blanket under her nest (a thin layer of hay). This is because her initial best was on a weird laying spot our chickens chose, with stones underneath, so we put a woolen blanket under to make the laying 'box' more comfortable.

I moved her from there to a dog crate, but kept the blanket so as not to disturb her too much. It's summer here though, and when I last took her off the nest for a drink/food etc (she refuses to leave the nest herself), the hen was all sweaty underneath.

I'd it too hot for the eggs? Should I put a cotton towel or something underneath the nest instead?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[azygous]

Wool doesn't make anything hot and sweaty. It's a splendid natural fiber that breathes and also absorbs moisture away from any living tissue that is in contact with it. You may be amazed to learn that in the "olden days" before plastic coated disposable diapers, infants wore cotton diapers and an outer hand knitted woolen garment over the diaper called "soakers" which would absorb fluid wicking it away from the baby's skin. Then they invented plastic pants and moms quit using soakers. Then the diaper rash medication industry took off.

When I lived in the desert many years ago, the average temp was 117F. Even with air conditioning it wasn't below 80F in my house. I would sleep on a cotton sheet over a woolen mattress pad. Contrary to what many believe, wool doesn't hold the heat in against your body. Like the wool blanket under the nest your hen is on, it draws excess moisture away from the warm body on top of it, actually making things much more comfortable and cooler as this natural fiber breathes and circulates air.

The sweat and moisture you detect under your broody is natural and desirable. Her eggs must be kept at a proper temperature and humidity. She "sweats" over the eggs from her bald skin along her keel bone that she removed just prior to starting incubating her eggs.

Both she and you have instinctively created a stellar broody nest. Congratulations!

 

[buttersbrood]

Wool doesn't make anything hot and sweaty. It's a splendid natural fiber that breathes and also absorbs moisture away from any living tissue that is in contact with it. You may be amazed to learn that in the "olden days" before plastic coated disposable diapers, infants wore cotton diapers and an outer hand knitted woolen garment over the diaper called "soakers" which would absorb fluid wicking it away from the baby's skin. Then they invented plastic pants and moms quit using soakers. Then the diaper rash medication industry took off.

When I lived in the desert many years ago, the average temp was 117F. Even with air conditioning it wasn't below 80F in my house. I would sleep on a cotton sheet over a woolen mattress pad. Contrary to what many believe, wool doesn't hold the heat in against your body. Like the wool blanket under the nest your hen is on, it draws excess moisture away from the warm body on top of it, actually making things much more comfortable and cooler as this natural fiber breathes and circulates air.

The sweat and moisture you detect under your broody is natural and desirable. Her eggs must be kept at a proper temperature and humidity. She "sweats" over the eggs from her bald skin along her keel bone that she removed just prior to starting incubating her eggs.

Both she and you have instinctively created a stellar broody nest. Congratulations!

What a beautiful reply @azygous .
Thank you for the detailed info.
We shall go forth and be patient for those chicks to hatch in a couple of weeks

Actually, would you by any chance know how long 7 day old eggs can be without a hen? She hopped off today for 1-5 hours... She wasn't able yo get back to the nest as something fell over and blocked it. Eggs were cold. Summer here though, and about 24 degrees...
Is all lost or do we still have a chance of chicks?
Thanks so much!

 

[azygous]

No, all is likely just fine. Summer gives a broody a lot of leeway as far as taking a break from nest sitting, and eggs in summer also have considerable leeway to cool without any harm to the developing embryo. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[buttersbrood]

No, all is likely just fine. Summer gives a broody a lot of leeway as far as taking a break from nest sitting, and eggs in summer also have considerable leeway to cool without any harm to the developing embryo. I wouldn't worry too much.

That's good to hear! Thanks