Setting up a Brooding nest for the first time. Concerned Please help!

[My Pet Hens]

I was mailed 12 Maran eggs for my broody Orpington. I was going to leave her in the coop nesting box but after reading here it was not recommended I am setting up a separate area using an igloo dog house and a medium wire dog cage for the run. I am just north of Washington DC. Here are some of my concerns: 1) Will it get too hot in the igloo? It has a vent in the top. 2) I will not be able to see well into the igloo. Will, it disturb her too much to lift the top off once in a while to check her? 3) Will she stop sitting before they are finished? She has been sitting on a marble egg for over a month.

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC. My biggest concern when doing this is whether or not they will stay on the eggs in a new nest.

 

[demonic]

the only thing I’m concerned about is whether she will stay on the eggs since she has been sitting on a marble one for over a month. Everything else will be fine because if she needs to she will come out and drink water and eat food, she knows what she’s doing

 

[My Pet Hens]

If she stops, I guess I can put them under a heat lamp or in an incubator. I would just like her to raise them.

 

[jus10inla]

Thats not healthy… shes alrdy been sitting for over a month

 

[demonic]

If she stops, I guess I can put them under a heat lamp or in an incubator. I would just like her to raise them.

Yes this would be good. It’s worth a shot to put the eggs under her

 

[My Pet Hens]

I open the coop lid and she never moves so do you think I could lift the igloo top and not bother her?

 

[casportpony]

I open the coop lid and she never moves so do you think I could lift the igloo top and not bother her?

If she's gonna sit, opening the igloo top probably won't matter.

 

[My Pet Hens]

She started sitting in a planter and I tried making her stop by covering the planter and she just moved to the nesting box.

 

[My Pet Hens]

Update on my eggs: It is day 17, I can not see through the dark shells well. Some eggs look completely dark, one has what looks like a dark band in the middle and one moves a lot when I tilt the egg. I had 1 dozen Maran eggs. I put 6 in the incubator and 6 under Broody hen. The hen has done a great job staying on her eggs but she ate 2 of them.
Please pray I get some baby hens.
Why would she eat them?