Not urgent: I have a plan for incubation via hen. Please correct my errors and educate me.

[ChickenCanoe]

@cmom
...
@ChickenCanoe
Some neighbors here swear by silkies for broody ladies. I am apprehensive, but I am ready to give it a go. I will hopefully remember to reply to this thread and show progress and learn more.

Silkies will work.
I'm sure cochins survive in Texas but I'm also sure they suffer in your summers.
Since you are building more chicken buildings, you may consider one just for broody hens.
If you do that, you could concentrate on heat hardy breeds that are also frequently broody. Those would be Cubalayas and Old English Games.
I suggest their own building because they don't do well in mixed flocks. But they are built for heat.
Turkens may work too.
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Games/Cuba/BRKCuba.html
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Games/BRKGames.html

 

[cmom]

I have been told that my breeds aren't too heat tolerant. I do have sprinklers in some of the pens and they do cover all of the pens because of how I have them placed. On really hot days I turn them on for awhile and it does cool the ground for the birds. I also have rain/shade tables in all of the pens and shade trees. Once upon a time there was grass in the pens but that has disappeared. I have free ranged but not as of late since I lost 3 birds not long ago to predators. They do get plenty of greens from the gardens. I actually plant some for the birds.