Should the broody hen's cage be INSIDE the regular coop or seperate?

[SeaChick]

I set up a large dog crate with a nest box, food and water for our broody hen. (We are hoping she'll hatch the fertile eggs we're buying!

)

It's inside the regular coop.... I assumed it would help the chicks integrate into the flock if they could all see each other for the whole time.

I left the door cracked open in case Miss Broody wanted to get up. She usually gets off the nest for 30 minutes or so around this time of day. Sure enough she went out for a walk, and suddenly the 2 other hens who needed to lay were fighting over her (new) nest box (with the 2 fake eggs in right now.)

Should I remove the dog crate to the outer part of the shed, where the other hens won't see her and whine for her nest box? And should I totally keep her in that pen all the time now?

Thank you!!!!

 

[Shared Acres]

I would. Because after she hatches chicks she may get aggressive with the other hens to stay away from her babies.

Edited to say, when some of our chicks were about 3 weeks old, I let out momma and kids to play in yard. I held one of my Silkies and the momma hen tried to JUMP in my arm to attack the Silkie because we were too close to her children.

 

[Chickenmaven]

I keep my broodies locked up, but in the main coop.
When I found that one broody wanted to stretch her legs in the morning, I began letting her out for 15-20 minutes while I did my chores. I left her nest locked up, though. We had an issue with other hens breaking one egg & I didn't want a repeat of that. After the 15 minute break, she would screech for me to let her back in. She really only did this for the first half of her incubation. Later in the game, she was nearly glued to the nest.