Question about broody sitting on eggs questions??/ how to seperate??

[m_shuman]

I have a girl who is broody and has been for almost a week. Today I got the call from a friend who wants chicks so I put 6 eggs that were laid yesterday and have been stored on my counter under her marked with the date in marker. She is in a nest box that the other girls frequent. I tried moving her to a seperate cage (old dog kennel) and she refused to sit on the eggs there. I am concerned about my other hens laying eggs in her nest while she is sitting. Is it OK for me to check under her once or twice a day to retrieve the new eggs or should I try to find a way to close off this nest box to the other girls?? If I did this she would be contained to the coop in a 2 ft by 3 ft area? Please help I wish she was willing to move but she is not and I really don't want to disturb her.

Also how do I calculate their hatch date?? Is it 21 days from today? Tomorrow??

 

[Judy]

You need to remove any added eggs once a day.

Actually, a 2'x3' area is pretty good for a broody. They need to be able to get off the nest once a day to eat, drink, poop, and get a little exercise. I don't think 3 weeks indoors is asking too much; perhaps you could give her an outing now and then. Other than that 10 or 15 minutes that they are up once a day, they will stay on the nest 24/7 anyway, sort of in a trance if undisturbed. The separation while they are setting is good because it protects the eggs from being jostled around during squabbles over who gets to use the nest, it prevents the broody from returning to the wrong nest, etc. Once the chicks hatch and she takes them to eat and drink, you can let her back with the flock; she should protect her chicks.

Not sure about the 21 days, but they don't hatch on that precise of a timetable, anyway.