Probably a dumb question, but...

[NatJ]

The risk of illness transmitted from eggs is much lower than from chicks or adults from what I understand.

The usual recommendation is to quarantine all new chickens EXCEPT just-hatched chicks from a reputable source (hatchery or similar.)

Yes, eggs are safest.
But chicks that hatch in an incubator and are shipped immediately, having no contact with older chickens, are almost as safe as the eggs.

Adult chickens, or started chicks that are several weeks old, are much more likely to be carrying illnesses. And chicks that hatch under a hen could pick up something (like parasites) from the hen after they hatch, so it would probably be sensible to quarantine baby chicks if they hatched under someone else's hen.

 

[Lori J]

No really just helping you weigh the pros and cons of the situation. Ultimately it's your decision on what's best for her, there's going to be some level risk regardless. Are you risking contamination to break her broodiness with chicks of some kind, are you risking her rejecting quail or accidentally injuring/suffocating them or the nutritional issues, or do you risk leaving her to sit forever. It's up to you.

I decided on getting a couple of bantam chicks, since i have always wanted bantams. I don’t need more chickens, so its just two. Luckily, a lady who I spoke to previously about buying hatched eggs Just had some hatched and I told my husband about it after I made this post! I had talked to her late last week about the situation and she didn’t mention it I guess it didn’t “click” until she spoke with my husband. Tonight I will put them under her hope it goes well

 

[Lori J]

An Orpington is a big chicken and could swallow a quail chick whole! Turkeys would be a safer bet, but they also need high protein starter. Best bet is to try to break the broody if you can...

I was tempted but I don’t know anything about turkey I have never raised them. I was a little worried that they would be too loud for my backyard and my neighbors

 

[shrimpsilkies]

I was tempted but I don’t know anything about turkey I have never raised them. I was a little worried that they would be too loud for my backyard and my neighbors

I also have never raised turkeys, so I have no advice there! All I know is, quail won’t do well with a standard size hen.

 

[ButtonHoarder]

Let us know how it goes with the bantam chicks!

 

[Lori J]

Let us know how it goes with the bantam chicks!

I put them under and then checked an hour later and they were under her wings

 

[Lori J]

The usual recommendation is to quarantine all new chickens EXCEPT just-hatched chicks from a reputable source (hatchery or similar.)

Yes, eggs are safest.
But chicks that hatch in an incubator and are shipped immediately, having no contact with older chickens, are almost as safe as the eggs.

Adult chickens, or started chicks that are several weeks old, are much more likely to be carrying illnesses. And chicks that hatch under a hen could pick up something (like parasites) from the hen after they hatch, so it would probably be sensible to quarantine baby chicks if they hatched under someone else's hen.

I would hope that they wouldn’t take the little bitties away as soon as they hatched! Those broody instincts would have the hen calling for them and upset.

I did get a couple but they were incubated

 

[Lori J]

I would not try quail under a hen that big, and I would probably not try the turkeys either.

Since you do not want to try breaking her broodiness, I suggest you order order some chicks for her.

I just checked two hatcheries (McMurray and Ideal), and they both have chicks available to ship next Monday. Some other hatcheries probably have chicks available as well.

So you could have baby chickens within a week from now, and let her raise them.

For the future, since you prefer to give this hen chicks instead of trying to break her broodiness, you might want to place a chick order as soon as you know she is broody. You could order chicks from a hatchery, or ask the local store to order some for you, and just schedule them to arrive when your hen has been setting for about 3 weeks.

She went broody at a fortuitous time. Or so I thought. I had just purchased silkie and frizzle eggs to hatch. I was planning on selling them but I wanted to keep one to add to the flock. However, you know how it is, if you keep one you have to keep two because a chick raised all alone would be lonely since they are flock animals. So that would’ve meant me taking on two Littles for many weeks. So, delighted at the idea that she could raise them and when they “weaned” around six weeks or so , I would sell/keep however many I wanted.

So that was the plan! It didn’t work, as you can see. I think due to the cold weather, none hatched. I candled them several times and At least five of them looked good, although the others were a little questionable. Point being, I’m not sure why they didn’t hatch. She has always been a good broody.

So, that’s why I didn’t order chicks for her as soon as she went broody. Also,I have had experience putting chicks under her before. Last August she went broody and, as she sat panting in the nesting box, I wanted to put a stop to her broodiness — it was just too hot! (I live in the southeast) luckily, I had just incubated and hatched chicks that I was about to sell. So I had chicks on hand. Even though she had only been broody for a short week, she accepted them and raised them well. I thought she would never stop mothering them! I think it was close to 3 mo, crazy little thing. This time, of course she has been broody for a month, so I am pretty sure she is going to accept the two little bantams I put under her. I thought of purchasing more and letting her raise them and then selling them, but I just thought it was easier to do it this way this time. I’m glad I didn’t go with my crazy harebrained scheme with the quail LOL. Someone came out of the woodworks this afternoon and had a couple of chicks that hatched in an incubator on Monday. She brought her chicks out in a box and I got to pick out the two I wanted, but when I got them home they seemed a bit lethargic I hope they are healthy. Time will tell.