About a year ago when my five hens were just beginning to lay, they developed a nasty upper respiratory infection. For weeks they were lethargic and congested. The vet diagnosed it as an infection and prescribed an oral medication that cleared it right up, unfortunately we were told our girls were now carriers of this respiratory infection and would pass it to any other chicken that was not immune. Now onto the problem, one of our Orpingtons, CJ, is broody yet again. She the only one of our chickens that does this and she does it quite often. Before now, we usually just set her up in the broody pen until she gives it up. This time however, she's being particularly stubborn and after consulting a neighbor for advise she offered us some fertilized eggs for hatching. However I don't know weather or not momma will pass on that infection to her babies when they're hatched. Advice anyone?
