They started laying in the fall, I have a rooster in with them. Lately I've started noticing a few things, one, someone poops shortly after I arrive in the coop and it reeks to high heaven, this has happened a few times, it's huge, almost looks like a dog poop. The eggs I collect out of the favorite nesting spot are always warm. More and more lately, I'm having to move a hen off the nest spot, she is gathering up the eggs under her, but so far hasn't gotten mad at me when I take them. I've cracked a few eggs in the last week that look like they have started to develop, from pictures I've seen of a cracked egg developing, about 12-24 hrs. The only way for that to happen, with my collecting pattern, would be for someone to sit on them overnight, as it's still quite cold here. We go to mexico in 3 weeks, or I would mark a few eggs, and let her have at it.But I wouldn't want to have new chicks with the pet sitter, as she would feel bad if anything happened to them.
Could you partition part of the coop with the broody and eggs so there would be no volunteers? Then the broody and chicks could be fed a starter feed.
