[French Chick]

Hi there, I have three hens and a cockerel. They have the run of the garden. Two hens went broody within one week of each other, I kept one egg under each. One has just hatched a chick yesterday and I removed her and chick to another coop. The third hen has gone broody but is laying ontop of the hen that is due in a couple of days. I have put her in another nest box but she keeps going back to lay on the hen thats due. I am worried that she will suffocate the chick if it hatches. Should I put the hen that is due into the maternity hutch now or wait till the chick arrives? My cockerel is so lost walking round the garden on his own. I live in France and the French think we are crazy worrying about our chicks, they have them for eating and don't worry about hygene, they all survive ok.

[joyfull]

Hello and welcome.
Is the third definately broody or is she just wanting to lay? If she is broody then I would shut her in a broody coup with some eggs under her (assuming you want her to hatch some). Do this in the afternoon and keep her shut inside until the following day just to make sure she settles.
How about taking a trip over to the welcome section and introducing yourself on there - we have quite a few people from France on here and most keep hens 

[French Chick]

Thanks for the info, unfortuately I have been away for a week and have had neighbours in to feed and water them. I think what has happened is that she laid an egg in the box with a hen already sitting on an egg and the new egg has been taken out. I have marked the egg for hatching so we know. She thinks perhaps that her egg is still there and she is now broody too. I have only eggs that are cold could I use one of those?
I will introduce myself but having difficulties navigating the site (it's not the site that has a problem!)