First time Broody keeper!

Once they hatch I have a pen within the coup for mom and chicks. I don’t want to move her nest and have her abandon the eggs or move to one of the other nests and start setting unfertile eggs. I want her to be able to still socialize when she takes her breaks.
Okay. Just keep in mind that the other chickens could sneak in there and lay fresh eggs in her nest, or bully her off.
 
Yes, you will have to check daily and pull any fresh eggs laid with her clutch.
Also sometimes a favorite nest box can result in broken eggs as hens will get on top of, or bully submisive hens off the nest.
You can mark your eggs, but the marks come off for alot of people an one poster found some of her hatching eggs in her refigerator.
Another poster had this setup with her broody and the hen ended up setting in other nest boxes as she would return to her eggs and another hen was in her box laying an egg, so she moved to another nest box where there was an egg. The cluth eggs had long periods of time where they chilled and she lost the hatch.
Alot can go wrong when you leave your broody in general population.
Maybe yours will be ok tho.
Keep us updated!
Good luck!
 
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I found too many other hens wanting to lay in the nesting box with the clutch, I made the brave move to move mom and eggs and it went well! She settled right down. I have small coup in my 10x12 barn. Food and water inside. I am going to keep her locked up until I think she is completely settled than give open the door so she can come out for bathroom breaks. .
I am hoping when I candle on day 8 that some of the eggs are viable.
 
View attachment 1609942 I found too many other hens wanting to lay in the nesting box with the clutch, I made the brave move to move mom and eggs and it went well! She settled right down. I have small coup in my 10x12 barn. Food and water inside. I am going to keep her locked up until I think she is completely settled than give open the door so she can come out for bathroom breaks. .
I am hoping when I candle on day 8 that some of the eggs are viable.
That's great! I always had my broody girls separate like this.
 
I never separate my broody from flock
She will protect her eggs from others and all you have to do is mark eggs. Remove any that aren't marked
After they hatch she will protect them then also. I have hatch around 40 chicks from 4 broodies. They have always protected eggs and new babies. I let them decide when to socialize chicks with flock also. Much easier that trying to do it myself.
 

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