[Jo57]

My conscientious silkie cross, Mo is sitting on 6 eggs. I lift her off to eat drink ETC but she is not cooperating with the ETC and I am having to muck out the nest. She probably thinks it is too cold to leave them (despite the blanket covering her nest box) The eggs are mucky too. Will it harm the chicks? Should I do anything? It is day 15 now. 

[joyfull]

by mucky do you mean muddy or pooh covered?

[Jo57]

pooh

[darkbrowneggs]

If when you lift her off the nest you VERY LIGHTLY throw her up into the air so she has to flutter down it encourages that enormous smelly poo.  Also make sure you are feeding her straight wheat, which helps firm up the droppings, and should provide sufficient feed value, if you are worried it is too cold (it is an unusual year) put in a bit of flaked maize for warmth.

Some birds are just naturally dirty broodies, so if this is her first time maybe try her again and if it is the same don't use her for broody duties again. 

I am assuming, of course, that she is up to date with her worming regimen.  If not its too late to worry now, worming will only make things worse.

[Jo57]

ah I think she is a dirty brooder then as she did this before although the eggs did not get so pooh covered last time. I won't use her again. Should I attempt to clean the eggs though or is it ok to leave them?

[darkbrowneggs]

You could try washing them in egg disinfectant, but if she successfully hatched the last dirty lot, then just let her "do her thing" 

[ANHBUC]

I have just used kitchen roll to gently rub soiled eggs.  If you do it for a few days it usually works as the humidity under a broody moistens any dirt. 

It could be that she doesn't have the energy to leave the nest so you can give her what darkbrowneggs suggests or breeder food or even growers pellets.