Difficult adventures in brooding Part 3

[Jbently28]

So I have a bantam cochin and a Turkey hen that went broody about 6 weeks ago. Both have been unsuccessful so far. I made the mistake of having a staggered clutch as this was my first time hatching and I was just letting nature run its course. We've gone through nonfertile eggs, eggs that stopped developing, crushed eggs, pecked eggs, even a chick that died while hatching. I've continued to let them sit as I felt so sorry for them because they both have been such determined and dedicated broodies. My bantam only has one viable egg left. Unfortunately, i dont know what day it is on as i didnt date my previous eggs. I have candled it though it it looks to be on about day 16. It has lots of good veining and the chick is moving around everytime ive candled it. My turkey has 2 eggs under her that are on day 9. Both of them are housed separately from everyone else in be older boxes. My other chickens have been free ranging since I found out that one of them was pecking at the eggs. I discovered about 5 days ago that my other hens had created a nest under a small pool that was previously used for my ducks that was propped up again our shop. As of this morning there are 15 eggs in it. There are 3 from my EE, 9 from my buff orpingtons, and 3 from my other bantam cochin. I know for a fact that my EE eggs are fertilized as she is housed with my RIR rooster. Some of the other eggs should be fertilized as well but I'm certain that not all of them are as we don't always let my rooster free range. I've been hoping that one of my other hens would go brood, so I've just left the nest alone. This morning, I found my other bantam laying on the eggs in full blown broody mode. Now my question is, should I leave her and the nest alone or move them to a broader box as well? Since this has become a community laying nest lol I'm afraid that one of the other hens may crush or peck at the eggs. This particular hen has gone broody once before but she abandoned her nest on day 10 and the eggs were placed under my other bantam who was broody at the time.

 

[Quackers3211]

I’ve done two things with Brody’s. I had a hen nest outside the coop and because I was fearful of a predator getting her I tried to put her in another nesting box but she rejected it and left the eggs. I quickly moved them back to their original spot and she took them back. I built a makeshift fence around her to help keep the predators away. There was only a few eggs and she has successfully hatched two chicks
Good luck on whatever you decide to do!

 

[Swongerem]

I usually let my broodies stay were they "claimed" their nest for a few days, then I move them in the middle of the night when its dark into a new stop so they have no idea what's going on and when it's daylight they are relocated .worked well for me. Good luck .

 

[alexa009]

I usually let my broodies stay were they "claimed" their nest for a few days, then I move them in the middle of the night when its dark into a new stop so they have no idea what's going on and when it's daylight they are relocated .worked well for me. Good luck .

Agree with @Swongerem! I will have to try that with my hens since their nest box is in a far different area of the barn from where they sleep.