Buying Eggs for Hatching

[Appytaz]

Some recent chat about eggs on ebay caught my attention. I had no clue you could buy eggs on there. I have a question about buying eggs for hatching. Can you put them with a hen who is sitting to hatch them out? I have 2 "mutt" hens that love sitting and I would rather them hatch some silkies than the silkie crosses we are getting. We only have 2 hens and 1 silkie male (whom I now know is not high quality, but whom I really love) Our chickens are happy little free rangers and I wouldn't mind a few more silkies out there playing in the yard. I really love the personalities of the silkies, but I really don't want to get rid of the "mutts" we have.

Thanks for any advice about this.

Kellee
Central FL

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

If the hens are broody, they can sit on any eggs that you buy. Just make sure that you dont put too many eggs under her. My silkie hens could probably sit on about 6-8 eggs.

 

[Appytaz]

Thanks! My thinking was when she was ready to start with the next batch to remove the ones she laid and replace with silkies. Her last "herd" she was sitting on about 12 eggs and 6 hatched. I have no clue what she has under her right now, but she has been sitting over a week and I don't have the heart to take them from her and destroy them at this point. It is easy to give chicks away around here. Thanks Again!

 

[scooter147]

I buy eggs off of ebay and set them under broody hens and they will set on them no problem.

In my experience the hatch rate from shipped eggs is about 50%, so don't expect a great hatch rate. I have bought eggs on ebay about 10 times.