Can you buy Jersey Giant Eggs for hatching?

[animalspooker]

I know this may sound a little cruel, but I have a hen who has gone broody. We don't own a rooster, and I've raised her from an egg. I'd like to sneak an egg under her and let her hatch a chick or two...you know...let her be a momma. Problem is, I really want to raise a few Jersey Giants. I know thats not so much of a problem, but the mother hen is a Feather Footed Cochin/Phoenix mix.

I know they'd look funny, kinda backward, but is there any reason this wouldn't work? And who do you guys/gals recommend buying fertilized eggs from? Can I even buy a Jersey Giant egg?

 

[AmericanMom]

I know this may sound a little cruel, but I have a hen who has gone broody. We don't own a rooster, and I've raised her from an egg. I'd like to sneak an egg under her and let her hatch a chick or two...you know...let her be a momma. Problem is, I really want to raise a few Jersey Giants. I know thats not so much of a problem, but the mother hen is a Feather Footed Cochin/Phoenix mix.

I know they'd look funny, kinda backward, but is there any reason this wouldn't work? And who do you guys/gals recommend buying fertilized eggs from? Can I even buy a Jersey Giant egg?

A Broody hen will take whatever you give her typically, I just set Turkey eggs under my two broody chicken hens

I have Jersey Giants and I love those , big beautiful birds! You might check Craigslist in your area or if you have Face Book check for a local homesteaders page for fertile eggs.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I know this may sound a little cruel, but I have a hen who has gone broody. We don't own a rooster, and I've raised her from an egg. I'd like to sneak an egg under her and let her hatch a chick or two...you know...let her be a momma. Problem is, I really want to raise a few Jersey Giants. I know thats not so much of a problem, but the mother hen is a Feather Footed Cochin/Phoenix mix.

I know they'd look funny, kinda backward, but is there any reason this wouldn't work? And who do you guys/gals recommend buying fertilized eggs from? Can I even buy a Jersey Giant egg?

You can put any eggs you want under a broody - the chickens don't know the difference. Yes, you can buy Jersey Giant (or any other type) eggs - it's a matter of finding a source that would be timely enough to get the eggs under her while she is broody.
May I ask what it is you think sounds cruel about your post?

 

[animalspooker]

Thank you both for the advice. CRUEL may have not been the right word. Just something of a "dirty trick!" But if y'all are putting duck and turkey eggs under your broody hens, then I'm not as 'dirty' as I thought. Thanks Again!

 

[WalnutHill]

If you set any hatchable eggs under her, she will be fulfilling her mission and be one happy mama!

I have red sex link hens, which are about useless as broody hens. They will sit for a day or two and growl and peck at you...then walk away and forget about it.

I hatched out a dozen barnyard mix hens in hopes of getting one or more good broodies as well as a nice variety of shell colors. I like my incubator and being part of the process, but I would enjoy seeing happy broodies out there too!

 

[animalspooker]

I have hatched through my incubator, after a broody hen decided she wasn't interested any more. If she does decide to abandon the nest, I can always heat the incubator back up.

I'm curious...when you put a duck or turkey egg under a broody hen and they successfully hatch, does the hen stay with and raise the critter, whatever it might be? That would look pretty funny, a momma hen 'mothering' a duckling!

 

[Sarafena1982]

I know this may sound a little cruel, but I have a hen who has gone broody.  We don't own a rooster, and I've raised her from an egg.  I'd like to sneak an egg under her and let her hatch a chick or two...you know...let her be a momma.  Problem is, I really want to raise a few Jersey Giants.  I know thats not so much of a problem, but the mother hen is a Feather Footed Cochin/Phoenix mix.  

I know they'd look funny, kinda backward, but is there any reason this wouldn't work?  And who do you guys/gals recommend buying fertilized eggs from?  Can I even buy a Jersey Giant egg?

You can buy the eggs right off ebay. I never have but I know many people that have and got good results.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Thank you both for the advice. CRUEL may have not been the right word. Just something of a "dirty trick!" But if y'all are putting duck and turkey eggs under your broody hens, then I'm not as 'dirty' as I thought. Thanks Again!

Gotcha - I think the following says it best:

If you set any hatchable eggs under her, she will be fulfilling her mission and be one happy mama!

When they are broody, all they care about is setting on and hatching eggs - could care less about what's in them, lol. A good broody is worth her weight in gold - lots of folks will keep a broody (or two or three) in the flock to do the hatching and raising so they can keep the rest of the flock on task with production.

 

[WalnutHill]

I have hatched through my incubator, after a broody hen decided she wasn't interested any more. If she does decide to abandon the nest, I can always heat the incubator back up.

I'm curious...when you put a duck or turkey egg under a broody hen and they successfully hatch, does the hen stay with and raise the critter, whatever it might be? That would look pretty funny, a momma hen 'mothering' a duckling!

Yes, mama hen will mother just about anything. A hen of my parents sat on a turtle egg until it hatched. She was confused as could be when her ugly snapper baby went into the water. She ran back and forth calling to it. She kept it up for several days.

Another hen sat on a nest of kildeer eggs. Mama kildeer was really upset by being kicked off her nest. Mama hen lost her babies when they hatched, mama kildeer rounded them back up.

And a hen sat on some wild mallard eggs. She brought the ducklings back from the pond to the chicken yard, and they stayed there for a few weeks. But the babies wandered around the yard with mama until one day they spotted a puddle. They hopped in and splashed and quacked and no matter how much mama clucked at them, they weren't coming out until they were done. And then a few weeks later they found the pond and left their mama.

While these are all sad stories for the mama hen, it in no way discouraged them from raising more babies!

 

[lazy gardener]