question about hen

[Joshischicken]

I have several questions the first being i have a white hen who today i found in one of my nest boxes sitting on the eggs i thought she was just laying but she ate one of the eggs she accidentally broke so i took her out upon taking her out she went nuts like squawking and clucking like crazy when i put her back in the pen she went right back to the eggs sat on them and proceeded to push them under her with her beak does this sound like a broody hen to you?

My second question is because i had 2 hens laying in that box and now she is sitting on the eggs where will the other hens lay?

and my final question is she is a full grown hen and she is also sitting on some Bantam eggs with she keep the chicks as her own if they hatch?

 

[keljonma]

Sounds like you've got a broody on your hands.

You would be better off to put her and the eggs that are to be hatched in a separate area. If you don't, the other girls will keep using that nest to lay in and you won't have a single clutch.

If possible, you might want to candle the eggs under her and mark them with a pencil. Then at night move her and the eggs to a separate nest area. She will need access to food, water, grit and oyster shell also.

Also moving her will help prevent other eggs from being broken.

Any eggs that hatch under her, she will consider hers. My friend has a Wyandotte that hatched a Silkie egg and that chick follows it's Wyandotte siblings all over the farm now. It is kinda cute....