Our accidental duck egg is rocking!

[Jbently28]

So about 5 weeks ago one of my black bantam cochin mamas went broody. She decided to sit in the oddest of places, a dog house filled with hay. She only had 1 bantam egg under her so I added another bantam egg and 4 buff orpington eggs. After about a week, I went out to candle the eggs and found a surprise. Apparently, she had somehow acquired one of my duck eggs. I left it alone just to see if it was fertilized. I only have 1 laying duck at the moment who is about a year old. She is a welsh harlequin and my drake is a khaki campbell. I was pretty positive it was fertilized. I waited about a week and went out to check on all of the eggs and candle then again. All 6 chicken eggs were doing great and my duck egg was showing signs of life. About 2 weeks ago all 6 chicks hatched. I waited about 36 hours and then pulled all 6 chicks in Hope's that she would stay sitting. I added a few more dummy eggs just to be on the safe side. Time my surprise, she stayed sitting. I have no idea what day the duck egg is on so I have been keeping a close eye on it as well as mama since duck eggs take 28 days to hatch. I candled it yesterday and the air cell was starting to dip down. I went back out this morning to check for possible internal pipping. The air cell has dropped more, but still no pip. When I went to put the egg back, mama had gotten off the nest to eat, so I watched the egg for a moment and saw tons of rocking! Now am ecstatic because our little duckling is possibly preparing to pip! This will be our very first duckling that we have hatched on our own. Now I'm just trying to decide if I should pull the duckling or let her raise it. I have 6 white bantam cochin chicks that are about 2 weeks old that I got from TS that I could give her, but I'm not sure if they are too old now. I've already sold all of her other chicks that she hatched. I usually let my mamas raise their own chicks so I'm completely new to this. If I tried breaking her by giving her one of the chicks, would she still care for it? And would the chick still see her as mama?

 

[elmoflim]

They would be too old I’d let her raise it.

 

[WVduckchick]

I've given chicks to hens at 2-3 weeks old, but its always a gamble! The chicks would likely take to her, but she may or may not accept them. But she will be happy to raise the duckling if it hatches. I'd let her keep the duckling. Single ducklings are lonely, so at least this one would have her. You might even try giving her a couple of the chicks, after the duckling hatches and see how it goes.

The other option is to look for other ducklings locally, then decide.

 

[Jbently28]

I've given chicks to hens at 2-3 weeks old, but its always a gamble! The chicks would likely take to her, but she may or may not accept them. But she will be happy to raise the duckling if it hatches. I'd let her keep the duckling. Single ducklings are lonely, so at least this one would have her. You might even try giving her a couple of the chicks, after the duckling hatches and see how it goes.

The other option is to look for other ducklings locally, then decide.

I actually have 2 other little ducklings at the moment that I got a couple of weeks ago when I got my chicks that I could place it with if need be. The only thing I was concerned about is if she tries roosting and the poor little duckling can't get to mama. I may have to make a temporary pen for them if need be. If she would have laid in one of the nesting boxes there wouldn't be an issue as I have then set up to where they can be closed off. The dog house is a different story though lol. I may get some chicken wire and build a small covered pen around the dog house just to be on the safe side. It still gets pretty chilly here at night ( in the 50's) and I wouldn't want baby being separated from mama.

 

[WVduckchick]

I actually have 2 other little ducklings at the moment that I got a couple of weeks ago when I got my chicks that I could place it with if need be. The only thing I was concerned about is if she tries roosting and the poor little duckling can't get to mama. I may have to make a temporary pen for them if need be. If she would have laid in one of the nesting boxes there wouldn't be an issue as I have then set up to where they can be closed off. The dog house is a different story though lol. I may get some chicken wire and build a small covered pen around the dog house just to be on the safe side. It still gets pretty chilly here at night ( in the 50's) and I wouldn't want baby being separated from mama.

She will, more than likely, stay on the ground and cover the duckling for plenty of time for the duckling to feather in. My momma hens usually stay with little ones for at least 4-5 weeks.

Good luck! And please let us know how it goes. Pictures would be great too.

 

[Jbently28]

Oh yes, definitely pictures to come if all goes well

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Let Momma Hen raise the duckling.... I want to see how funny it is.

 

[Jbently28]

So I went out this morning to check on the egg. It had internally pipped and I can feel tapping. Today and tomorrow it is supposed to be warm and raining. Perfect hatching weather

 

[Jbently28]

Still no external pip. I candled the egg as I could no longer feel the faint tapping/scratching. The duckling is still in the same position and has not moved into the air cell yet. I'm assuming the tapping I was feeling yesterday was the duckling trying to internally pip. I still have not heard any chirping yet, so I think its safe to assume that it is still working in the internal pip. I'm still seeing tons of movement so I'm in no rush to intervene at this point. Seems like the duckling is just taking a little longer to internally pip than what I've experienced with all of my chicken eggs. I'm going to leave it be and check back this evening.

 

[Jbently28]

Went out this morning to check on the little duckling. Still no external pip but I can definitely here and feel a much more intense and more frequent tapping. I only had the egg out for about 10 seconds and winter decided to return this week. The high is only 48 today. I'm so happy I didn't jump the gun and make an emergency air hole in the air cell. I'm afraid with temps like this that it would have been fatal for the chick. I had to take a huge risk last night and moved mama and the egg along with the dummy eggs to a brooder box. With the temps dropping and all of the rain we were getting, it would have been the worst case scenario all around with where she was sitting. Luckily, mama stayed sitting through the night and is still determined to hatch the little duckling.