Rhode Island Red hen and new baby duck

[cinders55]

I have a RIR hen who went broody. I got her out of it once, but this time I decided to let her sit on some duck eggs. (The chickens' eggs aren't fertilized so would be futile.) Didn't really expect anything, but today one of the eggs hatched. Does anyone know if I can let her raise the duckling? She doesn't want me to take it. What do you think?

 

[casportpony]

I have a RIR hen who went broody. I got her out of it once, but this time I decided to let her sit on some duck eggs. (The chickens' eggs aren't fertilized so would be futile.) Didn't really expect anything, but today one of the eggs hatched. Does anyone know if I can let her raise the duckling? She doesn't want me to take it. What do you think?

I let mine do it. Heck, let a turkey hatch a bunch, too.

-Kathy

 

[gryeyes]

One of my broody Orps stole a duck egg for her nest; a mixed-breed bantam hen joined her in the nest. The two of them managed to hatch a chick and a duckling. I let them keep the duckling.

As weeks passed, the duckling got left behind when his co-mothers taught the chick to roost with them. It's a ladder style roost, with several rungs at different heights. The duckling slept under the roost to one side (it learned about falling poop early) and still does so.

Both mamas were horrified when their odd baby got INTO a plastic pan of water I set up as a practice swimming pool. Water was only two inches deep for about four seconds. The duckling had such fun in it!

I kept a big, flattish rock in it until the last of the little chicks were large enough to get out safely if they fell into the water. The duckling still hangs out near the coop and her mommas, but there's another duck-hatched duckling a couple of weeks older which has been swimming in the big pool with its momma and aunts. Chick-duck is beginning to be interested in what The Others Who Look Like Her are doing....

So, my answer would be: let the hen raise the duckling.

 

[casportpony]

Cute story! Made me think of another that duckling that was raised we chickens, we call him Ch-uck.

He's funny, doesn't really like water and doesn't hang out with the other ducks, he still hangs with a rooster that he grew up with and is always trying to hump the chicken hens, lol.

-Kathy

 

[cinders55]

Thank you everyone. I'm going to let her have a go at it. She has two more of the duck eggs under her. They were laid a day apart so excited to see what happens in the next couple of days. Thanks again.

 

[cinders55]

Just got this pic. Not the best, but it'll do for a first pic.

 

[Amiga]

 

[casportpony]

That's cute!

-Kathy