too late to hatch out under a broody hen?

[farmer_mark]

I'm very new to chickens. My girls are about 14 months old and my Ameracauna has gone broody for the first time. I would like to put some fertile eggs under her and let her be a mommy, but this is a new adventure for me. My greatest concern is the season. I live in Northern California and although the current weather has been very mild, it will eventually jump into the 90's and stay there throughout the summer with days exceeding 100. Would this be too hot for a hen to raise chicks?

Any other factors I should consider before getting some fertile eggs for my broody hen?
She has claimed one of my 3 nest boxes as her nest. Is it possible to move her or am I stuck with that being her nest?

All your help is much appreciated!

 

[Cackling Hen]

I dont think its to hot I have had Mamas raise in dead of summer. You can move her into a little dog crate at night thats what I do. My girls settle always settle right into the crate. Good luck

 

[farmer_mark]

Thanks for the quick reply!

Are you saying if I move her and the nest into a dog crate at night, she would accept that as her new location and brood there? That would be excellent.

If the consensus is I let her raise a clutch (is that what its called?), here is what I plan to do. Please critique.

I'm planning on building a small box that would hold fix snuggly in the nest box.
I will pull her off her nest. She seems to be ok being removed as this is when she will eat, drink, and poop.
Move the nest (shavings plus eggs) into the nest box I've constructed and put it back where she has been staying.
Then one night she is on the nest, move her, nest and all to the crate. Hope being she will accept this as her new location. I will keep the crate inside the coop since food and water are easily accessible there.
If she is still broody on the new nest location, I will add fertile eggs.

Is keeping the nest/crate in the coop ok? Do I need to worry about what the other girls might do to the nest or hatchlings once hatched?
How many eggs can a single broody hen raise?

 

[tuesdays chicks]

whatever you use to put a nest in she should except, if you get her eggs to sit and put them in a nest she will sit them. my broody sat an egg, laying on the wire of 1 of the coops where the chickens like to lay.

 

[Cackling Hen]

I keep my crate in the coop but dont open the door unless i close up the coop so no other girls can get in because they like to go into the crate and lay or they crack the eggs. When hatch time comes I dont let my other girls around mama and baby. I have a big rabbit hutch i move them to when they hatch Yes its called a clutch

Sound like your plan is perfect