Chickens hatching ducks

[Oblio13]

I'd read that broody chickens would hatch ducks, and I had some broodies and a bunch of fertile duck eggs.

So, I put ten eggs each under three hens. They hatched today.

All three hens killed almost all their ducklings. We only saved a total of two.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Were the hens in separate enclosures or all in the same place?

 

[Oblio13]

Two were in separate nesting boxes in the same coop. One was in a big dog crate on a porch by herself.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hmm. The two together likely just went after each other's babies. The separate one might have just been a bad mother. I've hatched ducks before under chickens with no problems at all

 

[Chicalina]

omg I'm so sorry to hear what happened.

I've had broody hens hatch and raise ducklings many times with no problems at all.

Are your broodies proven or new at this?

I can't imagine why they did this.