Can I move 17 day old eggs and hen?

[MommyRae]

My broody hen has been sitting on eggs for 17 days and now my other hens are bullying her- they got one of her eggs. Should I try to move her and her eggs?

 

[Kellyjenny]

My broody hen has been sitting on eggs for 17 days and now my other hens are bullying her- they got one of her eggs. Should I try to move her and her eggs?

@MGG

 

[DobieLover]

My broody hen has been sitting on eggs for 17 days and now my other hens are bullying her- they got one of her eggs. Should I try to move her and her eggs?

Can you post pictures of where she is setting? And your entire setup? How much space does the flock have?
If you move her, she may break.
If you can block her off where she is to keep the other hens away from her and let her finish her hatch, that would be best. Whatever you use to block off the nest should allow lots of air flow and the other hens to still see her but not be able to get at her.
Of course this means you will have to physically manage her broody breaks. You would have to remove her from the nest each morning, reblock the nest and stay while she has her break then let her back in when she's done. I'd do it again in the evening today and tomorrow then just remove her in the morning on day 20. The chicks should start hatching late on the 20th and be out the next day.
Then they can all be move to a ground nest where you will again need to monitor how she does once she is mobile. Hopefully, she will defend the chicks and the other hens won't give her grief.
If she has been setting in a nest box, that may explain her troubles. Broody hens act different and are often pecked at or attacked when they leave the nest before snapping out of the broody trance. Once the chicks hatch, the mothers behavior becomes more normal as she rears her brood.

 

[MGG]

Can you post pictures of where she is setting? And your entire setup? How much space does the flock have?
If you move her, she may break.
If you can block her off where she is to keep the other hens away from her and let her finish her hatch, that would be best. Whatever you use to block off the nest should allow lots of air flow and the other hens to still see her but not be able to get at her.
Of course this means you will have to physically manage her broody breaks. You would have to remove her from the nest each morning, reblock the nest and stay while she has her break then let her back in when she's done. I'd do it again in the evening today and tomorrow then just remove her in the morning on day 20. The chicks should start hatching late on the 20th and be out the next day.
Then they can all be move to a ground nest where you will again need to monitor how she does once she is mobile. Hopefully, she will defend the chicks and the other hens won't give her grief.
If she has been setting in a nest box, that may explain her troubles. Broody hens act different and are often pecked at or attacked when the leave the nest before snapping out of the broody trance. Once the chicks hatch, the mothers behavior becomes more normal as she rears her brood.