Broody hen hatching duck eggs?

[Janay]

Hi,
Similar question: I am interested in hatching a few ducklings under one of my hens (if and when they go broody). But I have a flock of 14 hens--how will the other hens treat the little ducklings once they've hatched? And I'd like to move the ducklings in with the ducks (four ducks, one drake). How would the ducks treat new little ducklings they've never seen before?? I don't like trauma!!

 

[tkgrey]

My chicken is sitting under 10 duck eggs and previously was sitting on 9. First time around I took the eggs from her a week before they hatched and placed them in the incubator. Mostly because I wanted to see them hatch out but also since her nest is up high.
Should I risk letting her hatch them herself or incubate them at the last day before hatching?

 

[Miss Lydia]

My chicken is sitting under 10 duck eggs and previously was sitting on 9. First time around I took the eggs from her a week before they hatched and placed them in the incubator. Mostly because I wanted to see them hatch out but also since her nest is up high.
Should I risk letting her hatch them herself or incubate them at the last day before hatching?

@tkgrey You may have to intervene anyway chicks hatch 19-21 days where ducklings hatch 28-30 day Muscovy's 35-37 so she may not wait it out . But you could give her a few fresh non fertile eggs to keep her sitting or golf balls so she could at least enjoy raising a few babies this time once the ducklings hatch slip a few under her at night take the golf balls or eggs away and walla she has babies.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[macgro7]

I hatched duck eggs under hens several times. Last year I put 5 eggs under tiny bantam hen (I think serama x silkie). 5 out of 5 hatched!
I know someone who put 3 goose eggs under similar sized hen and they all hatched! But as soon as they hatched the yard geese have adopted them

 

[tkgrey]

This is her second batch of duck eggs actually. She sat til the last week on the first batch and then I slipped some more under her. Trouble is our babies from last year started laying and we knew she was fertile and we thought they would make lovely baby birds with sure beautiful parents. She hasn't stopped laying yet and we have five hatched, four in the incubator and nine under the chicken. She has not stopped laying for a month we had to start eating the eggs as we don't have room or the need for 30 Rouen ducks lol. Especially since we ordered done Indian runner hatching eggs last week