Can I give a broody Buff Orp any kind of eggs to hatch? Even bantams?

[susanah]

I've been reading here about letting your broody hen hatch other eggs if you don't have
a rooster. How does that work? Just get some and switch them out? Where would be
the best place to get eggs? And could we do bantam babies even though others are standard?

Also....do I have to worry about bringing disease into my flock through eggs? or is that just other chickens...

Thanks!

 

[WingingIt]

I gave my first broody some random eggs from the neighbor's hens because I didn't have a rooster then. I switched them out at night and it went just fine and she hatched them with no problems. People get eggs from all over, they buy them online or locally or get them for free (like my mutt eggs) from friends/neighbors.

ETA: Shouldn't have to worry about respiratory diseases or mites or anything like that with the eggs.

 

[callahanfarmgirl]

I have done the same thing as WingingIt. My neighbor has provided me fertile eggs twice for my RIR who goes broody every 3 months or so. I didn't even trade out the eggs at night & she did just fine on the new eggs & taking care of the chicks!!

 

[susanah]

I wonder about Coccidiosis (?sp) My sister brought a rooster into her flock to try to make
babies, and it brought Coccidiosis with it and I guess her chickens were never exposed
while they were on the medicated feed and she lost about 10 of her chickens.

Wonder if you can bring that in on eggs?

 

[gryeyes]

Nope, not in the eggs. The parasite lives in the soil. The eggs would have to be the filthiest eggs in the world to bring cocci with 'em, basically mud-caked.

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
What about the coccidiosis that is in the chickens' gut tract? Assuming the laying hen had been exposed to it, doesn't she carry it? And the poop chute is the same as the egg chute... I frequently find eggs that my chickens have laid have a little poo on them.