Broody Hen + Day Old Chicks and Ducklings

[CSDeVault]

Hello,

I have a Buff Orpington that is broody. I am considering putting 3, Day Old Chicks and 3, Day Old Ducklings under her at night. Is it possible she would raise all 6 as her own? I have two ducks in my flock now. I wonder if the ducklings would join the ducks at some point or if they would 'identify' as chickens lol. For lack of better words, would the ducklings be 'goofy' if raised by a chicken? Is there anyway a non broody duck would raise ducklings or does she need to have that broodiness in her (one duck was broody for over a month but recently broke).

Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions.

 

[NatJ]

I have a Buff Orpington that is broody. I am considering putting 3, Day Old Chicks and 3, Day Old Ducklings under her at night. Is it possible she would raise all 6 as her own?

Even if a hen is willing to raise ducklings (she might be), I would worry about having ducklings and chicks in the same clutch because they are different sizes and grow at different rates. So I would suggest you give her chicks, or try ducklings, but not both at the same time.

Here is a thread from a few years ago, talking about the idea of having a hen raise ducklings:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/broody-hen-raising-ducklings.1286273/
(Short version: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.)

I wonder if the ducklings would join the ducks at some point or if they would 'identify' as chickens lol. For lack of better words, would the ducklings be 'goofy' if raised by a chicken?

Unfortunately, I do not know about that. If they see ducks while growing up, they might figure it out even if they are raised by a hen, but I don't know for sure.

Is there anyway a non broody duck would raise ducklings or does she need to have that broodiness in her (one duck was broody for over a month but recently broke).

I would only try giving her ducklings if she is broody, and has been sitting for a while. A non-broody duck might ignore the ducklings, or she might attack them, but she will probably not care for them and raise them.