Broody hen and stolen eggs

[NatJ]

Do you think if I move the hen to a different nesting box and fully enclose her (but of course give her food and water and let her out few times a day) she will not abandon brooding halfway?

It depends on the hen. Some hens will accept a move, and some will not.
I have no idea about your particular hen.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

I wonder the same thing and how to catch it in the act of stealing.

Put some golf balls or fake eggs under her. Be sure to keep track of how many you put under her. See if any come up missing.

 

[SmiYa0126]

Could be a rat, although squirrels will steal and eat chicken eggs, too. I never knew squirrels would do that until I caught one in the act one day, coming out of the coop with an egg. But it makes sense, as they eat bird eggs and will kill and eat baby birds, just like a rat.

Do chipmunks steal eggs?

 

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Do chipmunks steal eggs?

Haven't seen one or heard of one doing it, but I suppose it's possible, now that I know regular squirrels do.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

I think she thinks she's going to have a hatch but is in a hidden hard to get to place. I counted 14, unless I was wrong yesterday there was 13 and one that isn't hers. This is where she is nesting:

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Do broody hens continue to lay eggs while on a clutch of eggs?

 

[NatJ]

Do broody hens continue to lay eggs while on a clutch of eggs?

Nope.

It's fairly common for them to lay an egg or two at the beginning, right after they become broody, but after that they completely stop.

After the chicks hatch, or after the hen quits being broody for any other reason, it takes her a while to start laying eggs again (often several weeks, but sometimes shorter or much longer.)