Broody hen - help?

[Mysterybirds]

I have a hen that has been broody for the last 10 days or so. It took me a while to figure out what she was up to and I'm not really sure what to do with her now. I do have a roo in with the gals and according to the pics by speckledhen I have some fertile eggs. The trouble is that she was moving back and forth between multiple nest boxes. I'd let her sit on a few eggs and then she would switch after a few days. So I'd toss the cold eggs and let her start over.

She has stayed in the same box for three days now but I know it hasn't been consistent. How do I know? I think she is currently on twelve eggs and I know she didn't lay them all.

So I guess I'm wondering the following things:

1. If she has gotten off the eggs and let other hens in to lay, are the eggs no longer viable? I have no idea how delicate they are. I can say that she has pulled everything off her chest and is always on them when I'm out.

2. Does it make any sense to try to move her? I did try, once, and she ran around, had something to drink, and went back to where she had been.

3. How many eggs should I let her have, if this is to continue? I can't imagine that she can be effective on too many.

Anything, even if it is just a link to a good website, would be appreciated. I had gotten it in my head that no one would go broody, or if they did it wouldn't last, and I'm really not sure what to do with her. She's very sweet about it all, just sits and sits and fluffs herself up.

 

[Wildsky]

Shes a bit odd isn't she? If you want her to hatch eggs, I'd say try putting her AND a nest box into a small cage of some kind, that'll keep her from hopping around, she might be moving because of the other hens pushing her out.

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
I move mine into a dog crate and let her out to poop & stretch her legs, then back into the crate she goes.

I feed her in a bowl in the crate so that she doesn't have to get off the eggs to eat if she doesn't want too.