Broody Minorca hen..... what to do?

[tomatomudhead]

I have a broody Minorca hen. The last week or so I've been forcing her out of the nest box and then getting the eggs. Last night I didn't collect eggs until around 10 PM and the broody hen was still sitting on them. I was thinking of letting her sit on a day's worth of eggs. I have a silver spangled hamburg rooster, 2 minorca's and 11 red stars, so all the chicks would be mutts, but that's ok.

Couple questions;

There are 4 nest boxes, she sits on the most popular, should I try to block it off or something?

What happens when the little chicks hatch in a few weeks? Won't the bigger hens kill them?

Should I be ready to separate them from the flock at that time?

Anything else I should know or do?

Thanks for any help,

Tom

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

You can try to close off the box or put her in a cage by herself and the eggs.

Mama protects the chicks from the other girls (at least mine is).

If you want you can separate them.

 

[tomatomudhead]

Thank you, I think that I will separate them (or at least try) tonight because I noticed the other hens got into the box today and layed a couple eggs. I don't want them to add any more eggs, so if I wait until dark, then carefully move the eggs and Ms. Broody over to the cage, complete with nest box, the others will not force her out, and will not add any eggs.

At least that's the plan.... hope it works!