Will a broody hen lay eggs?

[Thataussielady]

I have a broody hen but instead of sitting on eggs, she's sitting on nothing. I was wondering if she knows that there are no eggs and she'll lay them or she's thinks there are eggs under her. We were wanting her to hatch the eggs instead of using an incubator.

Also another thing she's been pulling out the feathers on her chest but she not putting them in the nest they just disappeared.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

If she has gone full on broody her production has stopped - a hen actively setting on a clutch of eggs stops laying - and this applies to hens who *think* they are setting a clutch as well. If you want eggs to hatch under her you are going to have to give her some to set on - either from your other hens (if they are with a rooster to be fertilized) or you will need to purchase hatching eggs from someone.