Ducks and Chicken eggs

[lleighmay]

I have a 1 year old Khaki Campbell/Mallard X (she was supposed to be all Khaki but came from a private farm and I'm certain she's mixed b/c she has the mallard hen eye-stripes). "Seven" has decided to sequester herself in her house for the past 3 days to sit on a clutch of eggs. So far she is a very diligent and devoted mother. I know Khakis don't go broody very often if at all and I also know this is not going to do any good since I don't have a drake in the pen with her and 3 other KC hens. To make her happy (and me since I've never had a broody before) can I substitute some mixed heavy breed chicken eggs (SS roo over several different ladies)? Is she likely to become upset over the disruption or would she possibly hatch them? If I do make a substitution is there a "best way" of doing it our should I just wait til bedtime or perhaps when she's off the nest eating/drinking? If she would hatch them should I remove them from her care afterwards so she doesn't try to teach them to swim? I also have 6 new KC ducklings I just got in one of my brooders (hoping for a drake this year) so I really don't want to acquire additional duck eggs since 10 or so is about my limit. Thanks in advance for any and all guidance- Leigh

 

[duckyfromoz]

You could swap the eggs out at night- and most likely she will continue to sit- And yes it may be easier to raise any resulting chicks that hatch by yourself- to avoid the risk of her trying to teach them to swim. You could also just try to break her from her broodiness by keeping her in a small pen with food and water for a few days away from the nest.

 

[Wifezilla]

She will likely just hatch out those chickens and not notice a thing. Like you mentioned, you have to be careful she doesn't lead them to a pond or pool for a swim. Mama ducks do that fairly soon after a hatch!

I have a broody Indian Runner so I know all about ducks that aren't supposed to go broody suddenly getting all maternal. She has 8 eggs (I think) in her clutch. They should hatch in a couple of weeks.

I would most likely try to make the egg switch when she is grabbing some food.

 

[lleighmay]

Thanks so much for your quick advice. I think I'll try to switch them out and then as it gets near hatch time I can fence off that corner where her house is so she has food and a waterer but no access to a pond (without supervision) until the babies hopefully hatch. After that I can move them into a brooder in the house- after all, what's one more brooder box in the house as the electric meter merrily spins under the lights?!