Can eggs under a broody hen get too hot?

[temple1612]

I have some fertile eggs under a broody hen. The hen likes to move the straw to the sides and have the eggs just on the wood bottom, but a few eggs were breaking so I put a small folded towel down and straw and wood shavings on top of the towel. Is it possible the eggs could get to hot being like this? I checked on her and she wasn't laying down on the eggs. She was just standing above them.

Is there a better solution?

 

[chicknmania]

I don't ever mess with a broody anymore, I let her do it her way. The only time I do is if it is obvious that they are not going to hatch, and she is still setting, and the eggs are going bad, and then I will take the hen off and confine her for a couple of days to preserve her health and break her broody cycle.
Yes, the eggs can get too hot, and sometimes do in summer weather. I don't know why, but chicken embryos seem to be killed easily by hot weather, while wild birds don't seem to have that problem. I don't know where you are, but we have not had much success with eggs hatching under broodies this year, due to the hot weather. And a lot of broodies are touchy about human interference, and won't tolerate it well. At least that's been my past experience.

And, if it's a young hen and she hasn't done it before, she might not be sure of exactly what she is doing. You can always put them in an incubator, but I think it's much better when the chicks hatch under their mother, and then grow up with her guidance.

Welcome to BYC.

 

[aart]

Is it possible the eggs could get to hot being like this? I checked on her and she wasn't laying down on the eggs. She was just standing above them.

The standing up is probably her regulating the temps, they'll say off the eggs more in hot weather...she may know what she's doing there.
The broken eggs are concerting, whether she's clumsy or just plain inept is hard to say.
Don't think the towel on the bottom is a problem, she might not like it tho and try to remove it with more breakage possible as a result.
Has she ever hatched before?

 

[temple1612]

The standing up is probably her regulating the temps, they'll say off the eggs more in hot weather...she may know what she's doing there.
The broken eggs are concerting, whether she's clumsy or just plain inept is hard to say.
Don't think the towel on the bottom is a problem, she might not like it tho and try to remove it with more breakage possible as a result.
Has she ever hatched before?

She is a first time momma. Her sister hatched 4 eggs a couple months ago and did a great job. When she went broody we got her 12 eggs. After the first night 1 egg was broken and 3 more were moved out of the nest. We put the 3 eggs back, but the next day their was another 2 were broken egg. We noticed the other hens being aggressive to the eggs so we secluded her. Our other hens had no issues with the eggs when her sister went broody. We bought 2 new eggs to replace the broken ones of breeds we really wanted. However, yesterday (5 days later) another egg was broken, and I know it was fertile because their we blood vessels. She still has 9 eggs under her. I hope none more break. She still has 2 weeks to go.

 

[aart]

She may not get it...or it's too hot for her to set well.
What is your climate/location?

I've read a couple stories about managing a broody in hot weather,
can be problematic and hard on the hen.
I just broke a broody because of it...well, and I didn't need any more chicks.

Might want to read some of these:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/se...ot+weather&t=post&o=relevance&c[title_only]=1

 

[GC-Raptor]

Could she be pushing them out of nest and breaking, because 12 eggs were too many for her? GC

 

[centrarchid]

When ambient temperature gets up into low 100's F my hens incubating clutches will stand up over eggs with wings spread. Not only does that cut done on transfer of heat from hen to clutch, it also makes so clutch still shaded. In some situations, then hen may help eggs stay cooler than they would be if hit by direct sun. Otherwise the hens will spend more time off clutch but if they can move about freely they will still stay in general area rather than go off to feed more. I have three broodies incubating now so will be watching them closely to see what else might be going on.