Moving the broody hen

[kyleigh]

Our cuckoo maran went broody about a week and a half ago. She has been very persistent on hatching eggs. I finally got her some fertile eggs and figured I'd let her hatch them. She is currently on day one. My concern is whether I should move her or not. The temperature has not come below 100 during the day, reaching about 110+ peak of the day. Her nesting box is also probably 18" off of the ground. I have frozen water bottles alternating through ou the day in her box, and will be getting a fan for the coop tomorrow. My question: should I move her inside where it's cooler, and will she refuse to lay on the eggs if moved.
If I keep her in the coop, what can I do to help keep her cool and ensure I won't lose her to the heat.

 

[formerchickenlass]

It's possible she'll stop laying if moved. Move at night while she's drowsy to reduce that chance.

If it were me, I'd choose to risk the eggs, not the hen. You can always get more eggs, or get an incubator to finish them in if she stops sitting.

 

[aart]

Our cuckoo maran went broody about a week and a half ago. She has been very persistent on hatching eggs. I finally got her some fertile eggs and figured I'd let her hatch them. She is currently on day one. My concern is whether I should move her or not. The temperature has not come below 100 during the day, reaching about 110+ peak of the day. Her nesting box is also probably 18" off of the ground. I have frozen water bottles alternating through ou the day in her box, and will be getting a fan for the coop tomorrow. My question: should I move her inside where it's cooler, and will she refuse to lay on the eggs if moved.
If I keep her in the coop, what can I do to help keep her cool and ensure I won't lose her to the heat.

That's a tuffy. It's better to leave her in the coop with the flock, although maybe separated by wire so she is not harassed, but the heat thing is risky.
Moving her is also risky as she may stop setting if moved to a new location,
drastic changes in temps are not good for them, and then you'd eventually have to reintegrate her and her chicks with the flock.

There was a good thread about a broody in hot weather...
...maybe it's one of these, take a look:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/276113/?q=broody+hot+weather&t=post&o=date&c[title_only]=1

 

[aldarita]

It's possible she'll stop laying if moved. Move at night while she's drowsy to reduce that chance.

If it were me, I'd choose to risk the eggs, not the hen. You can always get more eggs, or get an incubator to finish them in if she stops sitting.

It seems that you have a good broody (not all broodys are reliable to finish the job from the beginning to the end) I agree, it is better to keep your good broody and risk to lose the eggs, you can always hatch when she gets broody again in the Fall when temps are better for hatching. I would move her to a cooler place even though you will have to integrate if she is successful at hatching.

 

[formerchickenlass]

Sometimes they do re-integrate rather painlessly. I had a silkie in the house for at least a month receiving treatment for illness earlier this year, and when I put her back out, I just let her out the door into the yard and she was right back at it with everyone. I never saw any signs of discord.

In my experience, the larger the area, the more successful the integration. I always let younger birds I'm adding go out in the yard on plenty of days while the main flock is out there, before I add them to the coop. If you have mom and chicks in a little enclosure in the yard/run while the others are out there, that should help (just make sure chicks can't squeeze out of the enclosure).

Good luck and happy hatching!

 

[formerchickenlass]

Oh, and as for big temperature shifts, maybe you can find a spot in house that isn't as hot as coop but not too air conditioned? I'm less concerned about her adapting to the coolness, more concerned for her heat tolerance after being in such lush digs.