Allowing a broody to keep raising chicks?

[Battlepants]

So, quick recap on this hens current situation:
Silkie hen was badly bullied by both other hens and the rooster to the point of pretty serious injury. Gave her a separate setup in the yard (private coop, private run, can see the other chickens from the run). Gave her some ~5 week olds to live with while they grow up in preparation for living with the rooster and big hens. In this time, she went broody and we let her hatch out a clutch (successfully hatched 4 of 5).

I know people tend to break their broodies in the event that there is no fertile eggs or they simply don't want more chickens. BUT, I'm really enjoying the chick raising process and thinking about continuing this trend where she is given as many eggs as she wants to brood over. Then I raise up the offspring to laying/harvesting age and sell the layers and harvest the roos. And, of course, keep any that I get attached to...

Knowing that silkies tend to often go broody and I know being broody is rather tough on the chicken, is there any problem with allowing her to brood whenever she wants? Will she stop before threatening her health? Or should I occasionally break her for her own good?

 

[Ebony Rose]

Let her brood when she chooses, and know that you cannot make a hen brood; hormones and genetic disposition determine if/when a hen goes broody.
Supplement her diet with high fat, high protein treats WHILE she is brooding. Offer such treats INSTEAD OF low calorie, low protein treats, and as always, keep treats at 10% of her overall intake or less. The balance of her diet should be her regular ration of chicken feed.
Gently pinch her breast bone (several inches below her neck) to determine if she's maintaining her condition (weight). If she's bony, then she's at risk.
If possible, get her used to taking treats from your hand; this will ensure that she's getting the treats and not the neighborhood bullies.
Some examples of high fat, high protein treats that are super easy to get, often cheap, and also tempting for your broody girl: canned sardines packed in oil (I prefer sunflower or olive oil only because they have a superior amino-acid profile), canned mackerel or tuna (in oil for the extra calories), raw hamburger or fish (if it's safe for humans to eat, then it's safe for her), hard boiled egg yolks or scrambled eggs (cooled). The egg treats have a perfect amino-acid profile, while the fish treats will offer her calcium, protein AND vitamin D3.
If you can ensure that she's not losing too much weight while brooding, then I see no harm in allowing her to brood to her heart's content.

 

[Battlepants]

Those are some good points, and yea, I wasn't planning on pushing her into brooding, just more of allowing her to brood when she chooses to, rather than trying to break her.

 

[Yardmom]

I let my broodies set on A few eggs each time they want to. I think many of those who are breaking the broodies are just not sure what to do with the chicks when they hatch. I had a hen brood 4 batches in a year without any health issues.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I have a girl that broods as many as her 'sisters' will lay for her, weens the chicks at about 3 weeks of age, then spends a week or two just hanging out after, regaining her strength... until she starts laying eggs again... lays one or two eggs, and starts the process all over again. I think she doesn't like to lay eggs Or maybe she just really really likes sardines & eggs.