Can ducks tell when there eggs are going to hatch?

[BlueO]

Hello! So I have a broody duck. She has been sitting loyally on 7 eggs and they are developing. My incubator has some (more like 40) eggs that are going to hatch soon and I was wondering if I could replace her eggs with the ones in my bator. I would obviously not give her 40 eggs but possibly 40 ducklings. I would add a heat lamp so they all stay warm. My reason for wanting to do this is because ducklings stink and I’m getting tired of them being in my garage! If they were in the coop with their “mama” duck I wouldn’t have to change there cage 3 times daily. But here’s the questions, will my duck take all the ducklings? Will she still sit on eggs that are not her own? The eggs she is sitting on are 5-7 days behind my eggs. Will she know too go on lockdown sooner then she would have?

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[BlueO]

Any ideas?

 

[BlueO]

Anyone…

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm not a duck person but let me see if I understand your question. Five to seven days before her eggs hatch, you want to give your broody duck 40 newly-hatched incubator ducklings? Is that right?

She may adopt the ducklings, but then she would abandon the eggs she's been sitting on and they would die. She'd start taking the live ducklings out and about to eat, drink, swim, etc. and her eggs would get cold and die. Does that answer your question?

 

[deer trail duck farms]

i would advise against this. first yes she would abandon her eggs. then 40 ducklings is to many at once.

 

[BlueO]

I'm not a duck person but let me see if I understand your question. Five to seven days before her eggs hatch, you want to give your broody duck 40 newly-hatched incubator ducklings? Is that right?

She may adopt the ducklings, but then she would abandon the eggs she's been sitting on and they would die. She'd start taking the live ducklings out and about to eat, drink, swim, etc. and her eggs would get cold and die. Does that answer your question?

Thank you! Sorry not sure I wrote that well! I was planning on giving her the eggs that are going to hatch soon and put her eggs in my incubator.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ah, sorry I misunderstood. She will probably hear the ducklings chirping in the egg and feel them moving. She can't count 28 days if that's what you're wondering. Sure you can take her eggs away and finish them in the incubator. But ... will she accept eggs not hers? I don't know. Let's ask @NatJ, I think she would know. You sure can't give her 40 eggs, IMO..