More dominant hen hijacked my brooding silkie's nest!

[wahnsdlr]

I have a silkie who went broody a couple of weeks ago, so I got a few fertile eggs from a friend and she's been sitting on them for about a week and a half.
I have three more dominant full size hens, who have continued to lay in the same nest by either by standing over her or kicking her off the nest while they lay.
Well, yesterday, one of my other hens decided to become broody and stay on the nest. The poor silkie is just sitting in the adjacent nesting box with no eggs. What should I do? Should I give the fertile ones back to the silkie, should I just let the chickens work it out themselves? Should I divide the eggs between the two of them? Any advice is appreciated.
Also, this is my first experience of broody hens sitting on eggs and the hens are about a year old.
Thanks!

 

[nchls school]

I have a silkie who went broody a couple of weeks ago, so I got a few fertile eggs from a friend and she's been sitting on them for about a week and a half.
I have three more dominant full size hens, who have continued to lay in the same nest by either by standing over her or kicking her off the nest while they lay.
Well, yesterday, one of my other hens decided to become broody and stay on the nest. The poor silkie is just sitting in the adjacent nesting box with no eggs. What should I do? Should I give the fertile ones back to the silkie, should I just let the chickens work it out themselves? Should I divide the eggs between the two of them? Any advice is appreciated.
Also, this is my first experience of broody hens sitting on eggs and the hens are about a year old.
Thanks!

If possible close off the nest so the other chickens can not interfere and put the silkie back on her eggs. A hen that has just gone broody is not reliable.

 

[wahnsdlr]

Thanks for the advice. When I got a chance I went and prepared a place in the garage and went out there prepared to move the silkie and eggs, only to find my bossy hen wallowing away in the dirt with the other chickens. She went about the day normally and left the silkie alone. THEN, tonight when my husband went out to close up the coop, he found her laying on top of the silkie on the nest! He moved her to the roost and he says "she glared at me" and all is well for the night. But if this continues I will move the silkie. I just don't want to mess things up by moving the eggs.