Broody Hens or Playing House?

[JuicyFatHead]

So, I posted about this broody box we built next to our coop for what WAS a broody turken. Well, now, our rhode island red is laying in there too, but neither are sitting. Are they just like "whee! a new box to lay in!?" Or will one of them finally sit when there is a decent size clutch in there (currently 6 eggs). I'm just wondering if I should give up and take the eggs out before they get too old or broken (oldest is only about 3 days now)... or should I just wait and see?

 

[Judy]

Usually people wait til a hen really appears to be broody -- for me this is two days and nights of staying in the nest except for a brief outing once a day, plus other signs such as growling and puffing up when I reach under her. Then collect your eggs (on the kitchen counter for me) and put them under her all at once. This way they all hatch within a day of each other, hopefully. Otherwise she will abandon partly developed eggs to care for her chicks. Some say it helps to keep them broody to keep fake eggs under them. I have one who is broody now, sitting on 4 golf balls, waiting for the feed store to get their chicks in as I don't have a mature roo.