How long for eggs to hatch?

[GreatPyrLover]

This is crazy but my little bantam hen wanting to get broody again and to we couldnt break her of this

so we put three duck eggs under her....she has been faithfully sitting on them for close to a week now

....we candled them last night and can see the starts of a baby forming in them....how long does it take for a duck egg to hatch? These are pekin duck eggs...its gonna be so crazy looking to see little ducklings following a little bantam hen around

....do you think she will look after them once they hatch or will I need to take them away?

 

[critters]

Pekin duck eggs take 28 days to hatch...stop turning the eggs 3 days prior to their hatch...

I don't know if your hen will take care of them for sure but I would 'guess' that she would ?...

I have had guineas hatch ducks and ducks hatch guineas and the mommas in both
cases took care of them just as if they were actually one of their own....only thing I noticed
was the duck that had a guinea hatch...well the guinea thought it was a duck...first time in
the water he knew he didn't like water but otherwise did everything the ducks did and stayed
with them instead of joining up with the other guineas and they same for the guinea that had
ducks hatch ....rather funny watching them run around with each other....

just watch momma hen after they hatch and see how she does with the ducklings...if she
doesn't seem to be taking care of them you will have to step in...good luck

and keep us posted!

 

[GreatPyrLover]

Thanks Critters!!!! I really hope that she stays on them long enough for them to hatch!!!! She was a very good mama the last time she hatched eggs...they were chicken eggs....this is her second time sitting. I have my fingers crossed that she stays on them till they hatch...I dont mind stepping in after that.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Two of my ducks may be going broody, and I am very excited!!! I hope they do. Two of them pushed up the straw in the shelter and layed their eggs in it. The other duck layed hers outside. So it made me think they were. So im hopeing they do. The ones that went broody are a khaki campbell and a rouen. Im glad it wasnt both khqkis becuz I heard khakis are horrible broodys. And rouens are ok.

Im wondering is it ok to take away the khaki eggs so I can eat them. And let them have the rouen eggs? I havent seen my drakes breed the khakis yet so I dont think their fertile. But im sure the rouens are. What should I do?

Sorry for taking over your post!?