trying the broody thing

[KimChick]

This morning, I found one of our Frey's SDP hens in a nesting box, with no other hens in the adjacent ones.
Thinking she is the broody one, I closed off the barn hen house to all others.
Then I put in some food and water for her and two eggs. Not sure if she was sitting on any to begin with, though. She wasn't happy with my hand going near her, but she seemed to accept the eggs.
Next, I'm going to check on her.

After my incubator debacle, I will gladly accept advice for this method of hatching wee ones.

[KimChick]

Giving a play-by-play here:
I checked on the hen about 2 1/2 hrs after enclosing her. She was out of the nesting box, I assume getting a drink of water. I gave her some sprouted wheat berries and she gobbled those up. Then I left her alone.

[KimChick]

Went to check on the hen at about 3:45 and found her on the top roosting rod where she settles for the night. So I turned on the light because it is a dim day. (I'll turn it off later.)
Questions:
1. Should I cover the roosts so she can't use them?
2. Do broody hens have a natural schedule when they sit on the eggs? I'm thinking they do; this is just Day 1.
3. Do broody hens sit on the eggs during the night?
This is the hen house in the barn:

Hen House in Barn

[kenya]

Ifs shes really broody they only get off to and get a quick bite to eat. Shes not yet ready if shes up on the roost, she may be thinking about but not ready yet. Leave some eggs in the nest mark them so you know which ones they are. Let the rest of the hens in, I don't think shes quite ready yet but eggs sitting in the nest often bring them in to broody.

[Killerbunny]

I usually leave my reliable girls a few days until they are solid on the nest. Then you know it when they hiss and puff! That's when I put under the eggs I want them to have. You don't need to stress about them sitting too long, my girls have hatched turkey eggs which is 28 days.

[KimChick]

I usually leave my reliable girls a few days until they are solid on the nest. Then you know it when they hiss and puff! That's when I put under the eggs I want them to have. You don't need to stress about them sitting too long, my girls have hatched turkey eggs which is 28 days.

So are you saying leave her be for a few days to see if she really is broody?
And, what do you mean by hiss and puff?

[baronrenfrew]

they make a lot of “squawking” noise, angry, and may peck you

[baronrenfrew]

[Happy]

You'll know if you have a broody hen. There won't be any guessing. They won't perch, they rarely leave their eggs and when they do it's only for a few minutes to frantically gobble down food, drink and have the most massive, god-awful abomination of a that will trigger your gag reflex! They puff themselves up and hold their wings out when they walk and they start a low clucking sound. Locking her in probably won't make her go broody. Leave some eggs out and try not to upset her with changes until she's committed to her nest for a few days. Then you know she's ready.

[KimChick]

they make a lot of “squawking” noise, angry, and may peck you

OK, she was pecking me while I put eggs under her. And I have heard them hiss at each other.