I do believe you have to wait for her to go broody. She won't sit unless she is. So, either way you decide you have to wait for her to tell you when.To distract me from the grossness that is my yard right now, I am planning for spring. I think I am going to let Millie be a mama because she seems intent on hatching unfertilized eggs as is. I think I'll let her have 4 in case any don't hatch or turn out to be boys. My coop and run can't hold much more than what I already have so I can't let her go crazy. So here's where I am torn.
1) Should I give her hatching eggs and see what happens or let her sit on unfertilized eggs and sneak day old chicks in at night? I feel like the actual sitting/hatching process would be much more fun and scratch her broody itch better, but I am guaranteed a better shot at pullets if I buy day old chicks for her.
2) Can I give her an enclosed nest in the coop with everyone else or do I really need to give her a totally separate space to raise the babies? I don't keep any food or water int he coop, it's all in the run. I was thinking I could just get her a little cozy box, maybe a covered cat box or something, and put it in the coop. But I can't put food and water in there so she'd have to walk the littles to the run for food and water. Is that a no-no? The other hens are terrified of her when she's broody so I think they'd stay away from her chicks.
3) I'm thinking late March to get her started because we'll be gone for Spring break on 3/20-3/25 and I don't want to leave her while I am gone in case something happens. Is mid-April too cold for chicks outside? I've brooded my others in the house before so this will be the first time they are hen-raised outside.
I personally would do eggs. They are less likely to be rejected. I would place her in the coop in a floor nest so later there isn't a problem with peeps falling.