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A popular notion among researchers is that management of animal environments could be improved with the use of physiological data collected in real time. This is a sort of “listen to the patient” approach to climate control. What variables to monitor and just how to use them is the subject of much research. Deep body temperature (DBT) has been pointed out in the literature as a potential indicator of heat stress. In this paper, we describe a number of investigations into the responsiveness and on-line measurability of DBT in commercial broilers. A biotelemetry system monitored DBT responses of broilers to changes in ambient temperature and relative humidity. Birds were less able to maintain their DBT when increases of ambient temperature occurred at faster rates. These results indicate that DBT is quite responsive to changes in the ambient environment. This together with the fact that responses could be measured on-line, make DBT a good stress indicator in poultry.