Letting hen sit on eggs

[skippacheval]

I wanted to know if you can leave a hen sitting on eggs in a nest with other hens in the coop. I have a silkie that is broody and wanted to just let her sit on those eggs. Will she stay in the same nest box? do I move her back to the same eggs if she moves?:

 

[SallyF]

I had only five hens and a roo, and the broody hen stayed in the same nest box the whole time, except for one day when I threw her out to get food and water. She apparently got confused and went into the wrong nest box. I noticed after an hour and just moved her back over. The one egg I was letting her sit on hatched just fine and she never made that mistake again.

 

[shuizar209]

A good and broody hen wont leave her eggs. As far as being in the same coop it's fine my chickens paid no mind. Your broody might steal all your othe hens eggs and try to sit on them. So if you dont want to make a couple more trips a day to collect eggs I would section her off. Before the chicks hatched you might want to seperate them and your broody from the others they might try to kill the babies. I hope this answers your question! GOOD LUCK!!!!!

 

[Bear88]

i have two chickens and one is a silkie sitting on egg that will hatch in 6 days!!!

the other is an isabrown and is very big..... do i need to take the chicks away once hatched ???? or can she look after them outside?

the other chicken would be alone if i take them away is all

 

[Judy]

There are pros and cons to letting them raise the chicks with the flock. A good Mama will protect the chicks from the others. I leave them together as I want a flock that can set and raise its own, but some prefer not to.

Here is just one of many threads here that discusses this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=215937&p=2

If the others have access to the broody, be sure to mark which eggs you are planning for her to hatch. They can do a lot of rearranging.

 

[Bear88]

thank you for your help. i think we are going to have the brooder with her in the day time and at night bring them in to keep warm as it is very cold over here at the moment.
we can also have the other chicken free running around in the day time and let mum & babies have time to themselves

it is all working out.

will mum keep them warm in the day??? or do i need a night for them in day time too???