Can a hen raise ducklings?

[DatCrazyChickenLady]

Hi! We just got ten ducklings, not quite knowing what we were taking on. They are about three days old, and barely fitting in the bin we are keeping them in. Can we get a hen to raise them? We have two broody hens, one has a chick the other does not have any eggs or chicks. How can we get them to accept the ducklings? I’m also worried the ducklings may have imprinted on us already....


What should we do?

 

[Nats Chickens]

Have a go putting 2 or 3 of the ducklings under the hen with no chick at night and watch her to make sure it is okay. If she excepts them, put the rest under her the following night.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

X2 This is great to do this as she won't know. Maybe split the ducks up so she doesn't get too much.

 

[chickens really]

They are probably over the age to accept her as Momma. You can try it though..

 

[Miss Lydia]

It will be amazing if it works since the ducklings have imprinted on you.

Why not just get a larger container like a kiddy pool ? @onaharley made an awesome brooder out of a kiddy pool

 

[DatCrazyChickenLady]

It will be amazing if it works since the ducklings have imprinted on you.

Why not just get a larger container like a kiddy pool ? @onaharley made an awesome brooder out of a kiddy pool

We would love to do something like that but we have no where to keep it. There isn’t enough room inside and our shed is not secure enough.

 

[DatCrazyChickenLady]

Have a go putting 2 or 3 of the ducklings under the hen with no chick at night and watch her to make sure it is okay. If she excepts them, put the rest under her the following night.

So we tried it last night and she did not accept the ducklings. We are going to try again tonight with the other hen....

 

[chickens really]

I would definitely just Brood then yourself. Sorry but you should of been more prepared for the Ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What about two large totes put together. When I was brooding my Chicks inside I put two dog crates together on top of the table facing each other one end had the feed and water the other end had their stuffed animals they loved sleeping on. I had old window screen I put over top to keep them inside. It worked perfect this was 1 Xlarge dog crate and 1 large they had a lot of room to run around in there. I tie wrapped them together.

 

[DatCrazyChickenLady]

I would definitely just Brood then yourself. Sorry but you should of been more prepared for the Ducklings.

Heh yes we should have. My dad got them for my mom as a birthday gift... his heart was in the right place but his planning... wasn’t.