Way too broody!! any advice?

[Cellomama2]

God I hope so. I only tried the silkies because I have two kids that love to hold the chickens so I thought the silkie personality would be great for them. Yeah, of the three I picked one was a roo so he had to go and the two hens want absolutely nothing to do with being touched. Got them at around 8 weeks and I don't think they were worked with much. We tried but obviously it didn't work out. Oh well. At least they will come to eat from us sometimes and I'm learning a lot thanks to my little Cottonball.

 

[nightowl223]

God I hope so. I only tried the silkies because I have two kids that love to hold the chickens so I thought the silkie personality would be great for them. Yeah, of the three I picked one was a roo so he had to go and the two hens want absolutely nothing to do with being touched. Got them at around 8 weeks and I don't think they were worked with much. We tried but obviously it didn't work out.

Yep, they need to be handled regularly when they're little, or they either never learn how to like or enjoy being cuddled, or they completely forget very quickly.

 

[April’s Zoo]

I’ve also heard that having a small fan that can blow across the area under the wire floor of the jail will help to keep their bottom cooled off and break them faster.... wouldn’t need to be anything too powerful, just big enough to keep the air moving a bit. If the summer temps where you are get above 90-95.... then it might be worth considering.

 

[Cellomama2]

I’ve also heard that having a small fan that can blow across the area under the wire floor of the jail will help to keep their bottom cooled off and break them faster.... wouldn’t need to be anything too powerful, just big enough to keep the air moving a bit. If the summer temps where you are get above 90-95.... then it might be worth considering.

I did read that too but was just terrified there's somehow get an upper respiratory infection because that's my luck but in the great we are starting to get I could see it being a good idea.

 

[nightowl223]

I did read that too but was just terrified there's somehow get an upper respiratory infection because that's my luck but in the great we are starting to get I could see it being a good idea.

There's no danger of problems just by having a fan running & blowing air across the UNDERSIDE of the cage, pulling air along the bottom. It's not hitting the hen in the face, or anything. If it concerns you, turn it off at bedtime (roost-time, whatever you want to call it) and turn it back on in the morning.

 

[April’s Zoo]

Like I said, it just needs to be a little fan. If you look on amazon there’s quite a few— and in this case you probably want one that has lower ratings, in particular if the reviews say that the fan isn’t very powerful, or that it doesn’t blow the air very far, etc.
It’s a time when you actually want to look at the low # of stars.

 

[nightowl223]

Like I said, it just needs to be a little fan. If you look on amazon there’s quite a few— and in this case you probably want one that has lower ratings, in particular if the reviews say that the fan isn’t very powerful, or that it doesn’t blow the air very far, etc.
It’s a time when you actually want to look at the low # of stars.

This, exactly. One of those little, tiny personal fans, of the $5 Dollar General Store variety, is what you're after. They're only like 5 or 6 inches across, and generally have 2 settings.. weak and weaker.

 

[April’s Zoo]

pulling air along the bottom.

actually, that’s a good point.... instead of blowing air toward the cage, set up the fan so that it pulls air and blows it away from the cage.

 

[nightowl223]

actually, that’s a good point.... instead of blowing air toward the cage, set up the fan so that it pulls air and blows it away from the cage.

That's what I've always done. You're wanting to remove heat, not blow across your face to evaporate sweat. Chickens don't sweat, so air blowing on them wouldn't do anything to cool them off, anyway.

 

[aart]

I did read that too but was just terrified there's somehow get an upper respiratory infection because that's my luck but in the great we are starting to get I could see it being a good idea.

Those are caused by infectious organisms, not moving air.

actually, that’s a good point.... instead of blowing air toward the cage, set up the fan so that it pulls air and blows it away from the cage.

That's what I've always done. You're wanting to remove heat, not blow across your face to evaporate sweat. Chickens don't sweat, so air blowing on them wouldn't do anything to cool them off, anyway.

Moving air under a broody cage, by either pushing or pulling, is really pretty much the same as far as heat transfer.