Dummy Egg Switch

[TunaMooCookieChallah]

Just wondering if anyone has switched out dummy eggs for ducklings and if they have any advice. My girls are great layers, but not great in terms of hatching out. They are call ducks, which are hard to hatch as it is- my girl got 0 from her last clutch of 10 and was still sitting on them at day 30. This one I collected the eggs and put them in the incubator and replaced them with ping pong balls. I’d like to try to switch the balls out with the ducklings when they are able to go out of the brooder, but I’m not sure how the males would react. Anyone ever had any success? Any advice? I can always go my usual route to gradually introduce them through a dog crate in the pen- but she wants to be a momma so badly. I feel so sad for her.

 

[sourland]

Initially I would make it so that the drakes can not access her. I would introduce the ducklings to her when they became mobile after hatching. If all goes well, I would reintroduce her and the ducklings to the flock and monitor very closely. Good luck for a successful hatch/adoption/reintroduction.