Probably not if they're not enclosed in a run. Have lots of hiding spaces for the broody to get a at from everyone and you should be fine. She will protect them, but closed quarters make things very stressful for everyone.
What are you using to check your temperature?
I would have more than one thermometer at first but all the same type and find out where your cold spots are.I think my incubator must have cold spots or something. I can move my accurate thermometer around and get a different reading. I have the thermostat set to the right temp( that I figured out before setting the eggs) and the eggs feel warm like they should. Maybe it's just time to get a new thermometer. After the spike I had yesterday I just really don't know what to do. These eggs are only on day 3 so hopefully they will be ok. I might take the helpful hint about insulating around the outside of the bator. I just don't know, these are eggs from my own flock so no money lost, I just hate to see them go to waste.
When I first started this incubator up that's what I did, before I added the eggs. I had two accurate thermometers in there and they both read exactly the same. I left it like that for a couple days, with no changes. I thought I was good to go. I had to fiddle with this bator (little giant digital/with fan) to get it just right. I put the eggs in Monday morning and everything was great until yesterday. So that's why I'm thinking it's the thermometer. I think I'm going to go to PetSmart this afternoon after I get off work and get one of those reptile kind that I can feed the probe through the hole on top. I used to have one, but quit incubating for a few years and now I can't find it. It worked great. I'm just hoping my little's can survive all this. I guess I will find out next week on my first candle. ( I'll probably even do a spot check on day 5) just to see if they are still viable. It's just disheartening to think I might have killed my babies.
where can I find the Govee. Is that something on Amazon?
I get the eggs three times a day, which I see as a deterrent to broody. I could be wrong, don't the chickens need a clutch of eggs to give them the idea to be broody? I know my Barred Rocks started to complain at me about stealing four eggs, but then they get over it. If I had more than one nest box, I may plant ceramic eggs to see if it triggers one.
Never had any shatter before. Are you bringing them from cold to hot? I know glass will shatter if it goes from one extreme to the next. I leave mine in the bator for months and so far nothing has happened. My bators run 24/7 for months straight
