Couple Questions about my broody

[ChickenCanoe]

1.Her box is about 3 ft from the coop floor bedding. Other hens seem to be trying to use the nest. Should I move her? How and when? Will this make reintegration difficult? I have an unused rabbit hutch I could put her in if that would be good.
You must mark any eggs under her so you can remove any eggs other hens volunteer to the nest.
I like to separate a hen to preclude volunteered eggs and any conflicts.
A hen can hatch in an elevated nest and the chicks can get out of it with no injuries but they probably won't be able to get back in. I usually put broody hens in their own building, provide food, water and space and forget about them for 3 weeks.
2. If she hatches any chicks, will they be safe with her and all the other birds(8 hens and a roo)? I have a brooder if I need it. What preparations should I be making, for her and myself?
They will be safe. In the wild, hens keep secret nests and then introduce the chicks to the flock. The broody hen is a formidable foe and will protect her charges with her life against all comers. By the time the chicks are weaned, they are accepted as members of the flock.
3.At what point, if any, should I worry she's not taking care of herself? Is it likely she has left it a couple times and i just haven't seen her? Ias this a baseless worry, she has it covered(pun intended lol).
Never worry about that. As I said, hens have been hatching eggs for millions of years without comitting suicide by not eating, drinking or crapping.

 

[Tre3hugger]

@ChickenCanoe thanks for taking the time! Appreciate it.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

I have a broody this spring, She's been committed for close to 2 weeks now. I just gave her 6 fertile eggs from a neighbor today. I was wondering the same thing, when they hatch, will my other chickens go after them, or will the broody protect them? I do not have any separate facility for her to incubate in private.

Meanwhile, all hens prefer that specific nest, so if I move broody and her eggs, she'll just abandon those and go back to the popular nest. The others go right in there with her and lay eggs, and she'll just take the new eggs. Collecting eggs at night is quite an adventure. We have named her "Angry".

 

[Tre3hugger]

Tomorrow night will be my first attempt at collection. She prob had 10-12 eggs under her rn. I! Going to leave her with the eggs she's already got unless they are dirty once I mark them tomorrow. Maybe I'll get a mixed little batch of chicks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm posting again because I couldn't edit my other post which merged my answers with the questions.

1.Her box is about 3 ft from the coop floor bedding. Other hens seem to be trying to use the nest. Should I move her? How and when? Will this make reintegration difficult? I have an unused rabbit hutch I could put her in if that would be good.

You must mark any eggs under her so you can remove any eggs other hens volunteer to the nest after incubation starts to avoid a staggered hatch which isn't good.
I like to separate a hen to preclude volunteered eggs and any conflicts.
A hen can hatch in an elevated nest and the chicks can get out of it with no injuries but they probably won't be able to get back in. I usually put broody hens in their own building, provide food, water and space and forget about them for 3 weeks.

2. If she hatches any chicks, will they be safe with her and all the other birds(8 hens and a roo)? I have a brooder if I need it. What preparations should I be making, for her and myself?

They will be safe. In the wild, hens keep secret nests and then introduce the chicks to the flock. The broody hen is a formidable foe and will protect her charges with her life against all comers. By the time the chicks are weaned, they are accepted as members of the flock.

3.At what point, if any, should I worry she's not taking care of herself? Is it likely she has left it a couple times and i just haven't seen her? Ias this a baseless worry, she has it covered(pun intended lol).

Never worry about that. As I said, hens have been hatching eggs for millions of years without commiting suicide by not eating, drinking or crapping.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Thanks @ChickenCanoe truly appreciate your input.