Hen wants to be a mom

[Qmertins]

I have 5 hens that are about a year old. One of the Orphanington's sits on the eggs even if not hers'. If the rest come outside she will stay in the coop and sit on the egg. We take her out and take the eggs. We were wondering if we should get a fertile egg and let her hatch it.. Thoughts please
Thank you

 

[azelgin]

I have 5 hens that are about a year old. One of the Orphanington's sits on the eggs even if not hers'. If the rest come outside she will stay in the coop and sit on the egg. We take her out and take the eggs. We were wondering if we should get a fertile egg and let her hatch it.. Thoughts please
Thank you

A few questions:
1. How long has she been doing this?
2. How long will it take you to get the fertile eggs?
3. Are there other nests in the coop, that she sets on, too?
4. Are there other nests available, for the other hens to lay in?
5. If she does hatch out chicks, and the other hens don't leave them alone, can you make provisions for keeping the new hatch safe? (separate area, for raising the chicks)
If you're going to get her some eggs to hatch, I suggest you get more than just one. Eggs don't always hatch (Don't count your chickens, before there hatched, sound familiar?).

 

[Qmertins]

We are in WI and hard a LONG cold winter. I haven't been in the coop too much to really watch her. I noticed her staying in there once we were able to let them out. They are free roamers. I would quess she has been sitting on them for a month or two. We have 3 boxes in the coop. She will sit in all of them. We get different colored eggs and she is found on all of them, so I know its not just her eggs. My father is a carpenter and has gone a bit over board with their coop. It's a mansion I could completely fence off an area. Would it be good for them to see each other? or take them completely away from the other hens? My uncle is a farmer and we have a lot of $H and farmers around us, so I would think I could get fertile eggs quick. We really didn't plan on raising chicks, but I feel bad for her We have the room.
Thanks for the help and info

 

[azelgin]

A month isn't too bad, two is a long time. You might be better off to keep taking her off the nest and put her outside. At two months, she could be about ready to give up and even if she isn't, setting for another few weeks is going to wear her down.
But, if you do decide to let her try and hatch, you'll have to arrange it so she doesn't have access any of the other nest, so when she gets off each day to eat and such, she can't jump back in the wrong nest. Fencing off an area for just her, where everybody can still see each other, would be the best option.
Good luck on whatever you decide to do.

 

[Qmertins]

I need some more advice. So the one hen that was sitting on everyone's eggs, it back at it. She stopped for a month and now is back to doing this. We also now have 2 others chasing her if she comes out into the outdoor area. They charge her and she runs back inside. If they are out roaming the yard, she will even stay in the coop or keep her distance from the other 4.she use to be 1 or 2 in the picking order. They are 14 months old. I don't want her to get depressed. She is a good size hen. She is a buff Orrington. I have one more of those and then one each of Barred Rock (one that is charging), Red star (the other one charging) and a Ameraucan (who doesn't have much of a comb, it that normal? and the eggs have bumps like too much calcium, but none of the other do???) I just don't no what to do to stop this charging.