Broody in new nest box

[WhereisTina]

Never a dull moment on the farm! I have a broody hen, Pearl, who started sitting on her eggs 5 days ago. She is in coop with the rest of flocks. Remember these are my landlords Icelandic, pasture raised chickens that I am taking care of. When I asked him if I should move her to a more secluded area he said he usually lets nature take its course. Anyways, this morning when I went to check on her she was in a different nesting box. Ugh. The eggs were warm and I marked them and put them under her in the new nest box. Nest boxes are 1m2 and up off the ground. Now I'm concerned that I should have taken the other eggs out from beneath her. I have no idea what I am doing. She was not very happy about me pushing eggs under her. She is a first year hen. My question is what should I do. Should I seclude her in a new area? Should I seclude her and give her new eggs? Should I just let "nature take its course". First time taking care of chickens could use some suggestions to do the right thing. Thanks Everyone.
My coop is big enough that I can section off an area for her and keep everyone else away but still see her. She is on the low pecking order.

 

[aart]

When I asked him if I should move her to a more secluded area he said he usually lets nature take its course.

I would guess then, do nothing.
Might ask him the more specific questions.

 

[NatJ]

he said he usually lets nature take its course.

That probably means, if she's not smart enough to stay on the same eggs all the time, then no chicks will hatch

 

[WhereisTina]

Mayhem on the farm. So last night I go into the coop and find a baby chick stuck in the chicken wire. Rescue attempt, I put chick back with mom up in the nesting box to realize she is in the wrong box and all the other eggs are in another box. So I construct a box on the floor, put eggs, her and baby chick together. This morning Mom Is back in the original nesting box and baby is nowhere to be found. Someone (me) forgot to close one of the coop doors in all the excitement. I can't find it anywhere, and the eggs are cold. Lost cause. However, I have 2 other broody hens and want to start making better decisions. Mini is on the floor in the coop and I put up all wall to keep the babies contained and will add water and food to her new inclosure. Robin is in the big barn up 5 ft on the tool shed sitting on eggs. My question. Should I move her to the coop next to the other broody hen or make her a separate enclosure in the big barn? I have an extra large dog crate I can use. Also, FYI Landlord is a 1000 miles away. He left the chickens here and assigned me the "task" of taking care of them without asking.

 

[neo71665]

When I decide to let a broody hatch I always remove her to a separate cage in the run to hatch. Keeps her on the correct nest and keeps the other birds from laying in her nest. I also keep her and her chicks in the cage until the chicks are grown. My other birds like to eat small chicks.

 

[WhereisTina]

tough couple days on the farm. I moved one broody, Robin, off the shelf into her own little coop in the big barn and she is back on the eggs. It was not a smooth transition but she is now settled. I have one broody, Mini, on the floor in a corner of the main coop and have her set up with food and water. When she went out to feed I counted 16 eggs under her. Obviously that are not all her eggs. I'm debating taking some and putting them in the incubator. Not sure what to do. The 3rd broody, Pearl, in the nesting box is my main problem right now. I found another chick today that fell out of the box. I tried to move her (twice) the other day and she was not happy. First time just on the floor in a box she just left the eggs and chick and went back up to the nesting box. 2nd time I put her, the eggs into a closed dog crate and she kept screaming so I let her out the dog crate and just let her go back in the box and put the eggs back under her. This is the second chick to fall out, first one I did find dead in the coop. He might have drowned. The other chickens seem to be ok with chicks. I separated the chick, into a crate with a lamp, water and starter feed in the big barn. I'm not sure if I should keep the chick seperate or try to keep them together. I feel bad for the single chick. I could set up another corner of the coop for her and Pearl but I'm afraid she will just go back into the nesting box. I really don't want to have a heat lamp in the main coop. It is already so hot here, we have had 90+ degree temps for last 2 weeks and it doesn't look like it is going to cool down anytime soon. Any opinions and or suggestions? New chicken caregiver trying to do the right thing with no experience.

 

[WhereisTina]

wanted to give an update. Pearl has 8 chicks, Robin 3 and Mini's are hatching. I've learned a lot these last few weeks and will do things differently in the future. FYI Pearl was off her eggs for 6 hours maybe more on week 2 and her eggs still hatched. I made a platform next to the nesting box (see picture) and that worked well to have a small water and food container for the chicks while she still had eggs. Once everyone hatched I moved them to the floor in the main coop. It seems very stressful for her, when other chickens come in the coop. I am now closing up the coop to the rest of the chickens during the day to give her a break. When I have my own place I am going to have a seperate brooding area. This has been way to much work and the more I try to help the more Pearl freaks out.