Can a chicken hatch ducks/call ducks/geese

[peafowl_Lover]

Hi all, can a chicken hatch ducks/call ducks/geese?

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Oh yeah my hen wants to hatch chicks but I have enough with roosters, she's not broody yet but she is getting ready.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello there!

Hi all, can a chicken hatch ducks/call ducks/geese?

Can a hen hatch ducks, geese, or other waterfowl? The answer is yes. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that she will be a good mother, and because it’s not natural for a hen to hatch eggs from other species, she may not be the best option to raise them because she’s a ground bird and waterfowl are… well, water birds. I have also heard that a hen might be more likely to abandon the nest early when incubating eggs of other species because the brooding period is often times longer and she may not have the patience and commitment to see it through. It would be good to have an incubator at hand in case she does decide to get up and leave the eggs. There are also other concerns, such as the size of the eggs compared to the size of the ones she would lay herself. Eggs larger than her own will be much more difficult for her to turn, and may require to be turned by hand if she can’t. They will also be harder for her to cover and won’t fit under her as easily. Eggs smaller than her own will be more fragile and prone to break under her weight or by being rolled or kicked with her feet. The babies may have trouble keeping up with her once they hatch, because while the hen might be able to run, waterfowl usually move at a slower waddling pace. And while the ducklings and goslings will want to be in the water, the hen likely won’t want to get in deeper than her feet.

That being said, I also know that many people have had their chicken hens raise babies of other birds, and they’ve all been just fine. You absolutely can let the hen hatch the ducklings and/or goslings, but if you choose to, be prepared to take them and raise them yourself if she ends up being a bad mother or causes a danger to the babies. Others may have more advice.

I hope some of this helps!

 

[peafowl_Lover]

Thanks that's great advice, Lollipop is a light sussex and if she did give up I'd put the eggs I my incubator, I would keep her in a smaller pen when the babies are small.
Thanks for replying so fast

 

[peafowl_Lover]

And also I love your profile I have an adult peahen and 3 peachicks 2 peacocks and 1 peahen.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Thanks that's great advice, Lollipop is a light sussex and if she did give up I'd put the eggs I my incubator, I would keep her in a smaller pen when the babies are small.
Thanks for replying so fast

Glad I could help! Sounds like a good plan

And also I love your profile I have an adult peahen and 3 peachicks 2 peacocks and 1 peahen.

Thank you! I actually just changed it today haha .

Very nice! I have two one-year-old peacocks that I hatched in my incubator the summer of 2022. Prince (shown in my profile picture) is a standard India Blue and Pavo is my black shoulder