Duck egg incubation question

[Duckydos]

About 2 weeks ago we lost our male pekin duck to a severe snapping turtle injury. I decided to incubate one of the eggs since his mate is now super lonely.(I only had 2 ducks) She decided this week that she wants to lay on her eggs most of day! Has anyone incubated an egg to point that it started to hatch and put it in the nest so the female thinks she hatched it? When is the proper time to introduce the duckling to her? I would love it if she could could raise it and give her that experience since she seems to want to be a mama now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If she is acting broody and in a safe enclosure let her keep the egg. If you take the egg and incubate it yourself then try to give it to her to finish if she still isn't broody by day 28 she'll not finish it. To introduce a duckling will need to go slowly becasue she won't recognize it as hers.