Encouraging a broody hen?

[RainyDayEggs]

My Black Copper Maran hen is going broody for the first time (I think...I haven't had a broody hen before). She doesn't seem to be very committed though...

She sits on the nest and won't let anyone on, but she will get up for food and sometimes to just stroll around. She seems to take breaks for hours at a time. However she does get very aggressive when I try to move her or touch her while she's on the nest (unusual for her) and she puffs up her feathers and makes an angry low trilling sound. Is she broody? How can I get her to commit a little more? I want to try putting day old chicks under her, but I only want to try that if she's been sitting pretty well for a while.

Should I move her? All seven hens lay in the same spot (even though they have plenty of room to lay elsewhere). Perhaps she takes these long breaks because they're bothering her? (One in particular will even try to lay on top of her).

Thanks!!!

 

[Stiggy]

shes broody.... you need to move her at night to a new location just for her and give her some 'fake' eggs or some 'norma;' ones that arnt fertile. if she sits for a week on those then she is commited and you can giver some fertile ones or some chicks. getting off the nest is normal, they need to eat, drink bath and streatch their legs, if its warm or hot then they will leave the nest for longer as their heat isnt needed and will go back. she will get defensive as she thinks that your taking away her babies, and she doesn't want the other hens in there as they may steal her eggs.