Question on a broody hen -

[fasttense]

3. I've done it both ways.

I've left the eggs to see if they would hatch and the chickens eventually (after about 3 days) left the nest.

Then I've removed the remaining eggs and the chickens were just fine with that too.

I would give the chicken more room to move around. She wants to show those chicks how to scratch and to follow her (I've had baby chicks ride on their Mom's back to keep up with her.) So she needs room to move to do that. I've also had hens accidental kill their chicks because they had no room to move around and they stepped on them.

There is no sight as pretty as a hen with her chicks following behind.