My first broody hen died from lack of eggs and I didn't recognize her broodiness in time. My second broody hen got off her eggs after I ordered them, so I bought incubator set-up but power outage, etc. No chicks. Third broody hen sat two weeks on her plastic golf balls until I could find some day-old chicks to stick under her. When I failed to find any, I booted her off her nest and took the golf balls away. She's fine. I have a new rooster and will now let nature take its course. That's my story, hope it helps you in some way.

OKay,,wait a minute:
Critterkeeper: Are you saying your hen DIED because she didnt have enough EGGS to sit on ???? I don't understand that one. Please explain. Thanks.

Kumquat, if your hen isn't broody, then she's not broody. I would look around/ask/beg/borrow/build an incubator and hatch them that way.

If your hen is of a breed that goes broody occasionally you can force her to go broody. If you put her in a small box on top of eggs and only let her out for a little bit at a time a few times a day to eat and drink and stretch she is likely to stick to the task if you open the box and let her take her leave when she wishes. I apparently had a great aunt who did this with her favorite RIR hen when her egg production dropped off.

Hey, I locked her in the hen house without free-range capability for a week and she started setting on the eggs. Thanks for your input, guys!