Broody hen with dud eggs

[22chickenman]

I have a hen that's been sitting on eggs well over 21 days now, I'm pretty sure all her eggs are bad. I have a duck that's maybe 5-7 days away from hatching, can I put a duck egg under her? Or wait til the ducks hatch and put a duckling under her? Or can I slip more fertilized chicken eggs under her(can she handle 6 weeks of being broody? I never see her off the best)? Or should I look into day old chicks?
Not sure what my best strategy is but any tips and advice is welcome.
Thanks

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have a hen that's been sitting on eggs well over 21 days now, I'm pretty sure all her eggs are bad. I have a duck that's maybe 5-7 days away from hatching, can I put a duck egg under her? Or wait til the ducks hatch and put a duckling under her? Or can I slip more fertilized chicken eggs under her(can she handle 6 weeks of being broody? I never see her off the best)? Or should I look into day old chicks?
Not sure what my best strategy is but any tips and advice is welcome.
Thanks

Personally I wouldn't set fresh eggs under her if she's already been sitting that long. You run the risk of her breaking broody, or prolonging fullfilling her nutritional needs.

You can stick duck eggs under her. People do. I don't raise ducks, so I don't know the pros and cons of that. I'd be more likely to attempt to break her broodiness or get day old chicks if you really want them and can find them and see if she will except them. But, that's just my opinion.

 

[Kev]

I have a hen that's been sitting on eggs well over 21 days now, I'm pretty sure all her eggs are bad. I have a duck that's maybe 5-7 days away from hatching, can I put a duck egg under her? Or wait til the ducks hatch and put a duckling under her? Or can I slip more fertilized chicken eggs under her(can she handle 6 weeks of being broody? I never see her off the best)? Or should I look into day old chicks?
Not sure what my best strategy is but any tips and advice is welcome.
Thanks

I'd want to know why her eggs are duds. Too many eggs? other hens getting in her nest and adding their own eggs or...?

if she is totally isolated, no other birds are able to get in and bother her and her health is good- would like to worm and dust her for good measure- sevin dust is great for dusting plus keeping ants away while the chicks are hatching..

Then you can either add a fresh batch of fertile chicken eggs(mark them if other birds are able to get in her nest, remove new eggs daily) OR get day old chicks. Push the day old chicks under her right after dark so they have the whole night to bond.

Duck eggs take longer to hatch, she's been sitting for a while already so chicken eggs is a kinder option.

If you want her to hatch duckling, I would rather give the whole batch to her instead of just one. Ducklings are very different in brooding needs than chicks... needing much shorter time and access to water plus it is usually nice to have less set ups than more. One pen of mother duck or hen with babies instead of two pens.

Definitely much better to keep ducklings separate from chicks so if you give the hen day old chicks now you have a nice separation of hen with chicks and duck with ducklings/.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I'd want to know why her eggs are duds. Too many eggs? other hens getting in her nest and adding their own eggs or...?

if she is totally isolated, no other birds are able to get in and bother her and her health is good- would like to worm and dust her for good measure- sevin dust is great for dusting plus keeping ants away while the chicks are hatching..

Then you can either add a fresh batch of fertile chicken eggs(mark them if other birds are able to get in her nest, remove new eggs daily) OR get day old chicks. Push the day old chicks under her right after dark so they have the whole night to bond.

Duck eggs take longer to hatch, she's been sitting for a while already so chicken eggs is a kinder option.

If you want her to hatch duckling, I would rather give the whole batch to her instead of just one. Ducklings are very different in brooding needs than chicks... needing much shorter time and access to water plus it is usually nice to have less set ups than more. One pen of mother duck or hen with babies instead of two pens.

Definitely much better to keep ducklings separate from chicks so if you give the hen day old chicks now you have a nice separation of hen with chicks and duck with ducklings/.

She said the duck eggs were only 5-7 days from hatching, so she'd only have to be broody for another week ish, instead of another 21-28 days.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have a hen that's been sitting on eggs well over 21 days now, I'm pretty sure all her eggs are bad. I have a duck that's maybe 5-7 days away from hatching, can I put a duck egg under her? Or wait til the ducks hatch and put a duckling under her? Or can I slip more fertilized chicken eggs under her(can she handle 6 weeks of being broody? I never see her off the best)? Or should I look into day old chicks?
Not sure what my best strategy is but any tips and advice is welcome.
Thanks

I would let my duck keep her eggs and ducklings and break the hen from setting. That way she can get on with growing a new set of plumage.

 

[Weehopper]

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