Crazy hen

One of my hens has started laying just over a week ago.

She was disappearing for a couple of hours every day about lunch time and then suddenly reappearing in the middle of the garden. Yesterday we followed her and found a neat little nest with a clutch of 6 eggs in the neighbouring woodland. Obviously we don't want her laying there as Mr. Charlie Fox is partial to a bit of chicken, so we brought her back along with her eggs.

Today, just before she was due to lay we locked he up into the run with the other girls and she started going ballistic. She was pacing up and down the fencing of the run and making her "I am very angry noises". When we finally let he out she made for the fenceline (which has now been blocked) and continued pacing and making noises.

I have now put her into a separate coop and run, with her eggs, but she is still pacing and going mad and she doesnt think the eggs are hers. Is she in the process of going broody? Any ideas what I should do with her as it is driving me mad watching her. I feel so cruel.

Any advice is gratefully received.
Thanks in advance

I would watch her as she sounds as if she is likely to go broody.  I have one that has been broody for weeks now and she takes maddies.  She barges into the other girls, does everything in double fast time and then takes off across the garden and  flies straight into the henhouse or fencing and lands in a heap      Don't know how she hasn't hurt herself yet. 

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. I have removed the eggs and placed the pot egg in the nest box. She is back in the main run with the girls, but has a private place to lay as the others have all long finished laying and are off foraging, by the time it comes around to her turn. But what you say about not liking the other hens around makes sense as she is always on her own.

We are away for a few days next week and I have asked the chicken-sitters to leave them all in the run instead of letting them roam, while we are away, to avoid her disappearing. I am guessing this will also give her time to forget about her secret laying spot.

I guess we will see what happens.
Thanks again