Just got incubator started, hen goes broody.

[fistfullofnails]

I had recently got a rooster and had been hoping for a hen to go broody so I might get some chicks. I finally gave up and decided to get an incubator. It's now day 6 that my eggs have been in the bator and I candled them today and found out that all four are developing.

Lo' and behold, I go down this evening to shut the coop and I notice our Maran is sitting on a nest instead of the roost like usual. I guess I got what I asked for because I had left about ten golf balls in the nest she is in just to see what would happen. That's all that's under her right now I believe because I collected eggs not to long before she apparently sat there.

I briefly thought about sticking my four incubating eggs under her tonight, which would be perfect if it worked out but disastrous if she decides to get off them. I would still like to see one of my hens actually raise some chicks, but there's only enough room for maybe 3 or 4 more. So I come here asking what you fine people would do.
I have a separate setup I could put her in if need be. There are seven hens and only two nesting boxes in the main coop being as I didn't bother making another box because it seems they all prefer laying mostly in just one of those. When I put in the golf balls, I put them into a separate cardboard box and then into the nesting box so that it could be moved easier. I'm not sure if I should take out the golf balls, or even how. Please explain as to what you would do very concisely as I haven't dealt with anything like this before.

On a sidenote, will hens attempt to steal eggs from other nests? When I went in earlier, there was a busted egg laying on the chicken ramp leading to the box that the Maran isn't in right now, and she was there eating that egg. I've never had a chicken able to knock an egg out of either of those boxes like that. This is also one of two hens that never lets me get close to her, much less pick her up.

 

[tacothechicken]

Hmm if chicks are already in gator and your worried bought and incubation or egg accident in coop I'd let her keep the golf balls and do a nighttime swap after your chicks have hatched! She shouldn't know the difference and it saves on stress of working out incubation dates and broody checks etc you get you're chicks and the hen gets eventual motherhood

 

[chickens really]

I would set her up in a corner of the Coop in a crate and build her her nest with the golf balls. Lock her in to see if she commits to that nest site. If she does, swap out the incubator eggs for the golf balls. My Hen is in. Crate in the corner of my Coop and hatching over the past two days.

 

[fistfullofnails]

Hmm if chicks are already in gator and your worried bought and incubation or egg accident in coop I'd let her keep the golf balls and do a nighttime swap after your chicks have hatched! She shouldn't know the difference and it saves on stress of working out incubation dates and broody checks etc you get you're chicks and the hen gets eventual motherhood

Sounds like a plan.

 

[lazy gardener]

Wait until she has been sitting solid on the nest for 3 days/nights. Do not take her off to eat or poo. She will get off when she needs to. By messing with her, and removing her from the nest, as a lot of folks want to do, you actually might break her broody cycle. If you can provide her with a secure broody spot that others can't enter, and she sits tight to the nest for 3 days and nights, I would then remove her golf balls at night, and slip the incubated eggs under her.

 

[aart]

I would set her up in a corner of the Coop in a crate and build her her nest with the golf balls. Lock her in to see if she commits to that nest site. If she does, swap out the incubator eggs for the golf balls.

If you can provide her with a secure broody spot that others can't enter, and she sits tight to the nest for 3 days and nights, I would then remove her golf balls at night, and slip the incubated eggs under her.

Ditto Dat^^^
Make sure she has room to get up and stretch her legs and eat drink poop away from nest.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Do half n' half until all your eggs are hatched then put the artificial incubator babies with momma hen and the ones she brooded together in the evening.