Should I place an extra egg under my broody chicken after 3 days?

[Frodo the Pekin]

Hi! Here I am with another one of my silly beginner issues.

So as you might know from my last post, I have a broody chicken that has been sitting on 4 duck eggs for about 3 days. I fear 3 of the eggs might not be fertile, a realisation which had stupidly not come to me till yesterday (more on it on my last post, on the ducks forum) So I might end up with a pretty undesired singleton, which would be hard to introduce to the flock once the time comes, and as it grows up it will feel rather lonely as well.

And my duck Penelope, which I am sure lays fertile eggs has not laid any eggs for 3 days (which is totally not usual, she normally lays every day), and now seems to be sitting on her nest, to (hopefully) get one out. This is happening as we speak, during the end (where I live) of the second day of my broody incubating her eggs. So Penelope's egg I'll be able to collect in the morning at the earliest.

Now my question is, would I be able to put that hypothetical egg which I am sure is fertile under my broody chicken, on the 3rd day of her incubating the other eggs? That would undoubtedly create a staggered hatch, I know, but perhaps I'll be able to take out the duckling that does hatch (or ducklings if the other eggs do turn out to be fertile after all) and brood it until the younger egg would hatch too, so that the hen would not move from her nest to feed the older hatchling(s). Any thoughts? Is that a half decent plan?

I have also thought of getting some chicken eggs on day 7 once I can tell the fertility of the duck eggs by candling them, so that they would all, chick and duckling, hatch on the same day and then my singleton issue would be solved, but only as they grow up, since I have separate flocks and coops for my ducks and chickens. What are your opinions on it? Feel free to ask questions, if I'd not been clear enough on the details. This is my first hatch, so I am rather nervous. I really want some offspring from my first, original duck flock from last year.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Did Penelope lay her egg? Just by reading your thread title, I think everyone would unanimously say "No, dont do it." However, you do have valid reasons for contemplating the idea. I wish your duck was laying more than 1 egg every 3 days, as you surely do too. Be aware that even though the additional egg is fertile, it doesn't mean the embryo will survive to hatching. Also, there is a chance the broody may not accept the early-hatched duckling after she has hatched the second. However, I think you can avoid that possibility by returning the older duckling under the cover of darkness on the same night after the second duckling hatches. Make sure you return the older duckling before she leaves the nest box with the younger duckling, and I think your first plan will work. I think it will work because I've done that with broodies and chicks many times, including with broodies that would Not accept additional chicks after they left the nest box with their other chicks.

I'm not going to comment on your second plan because I don't have ducks, so don't know if giving the single duck egg a 7 day head start before adding chicken eggs will also work. I hope you can get advice from people who have done that, to help you decide which path to choose.

 

[Yardmom]

I think either plan will work. Some hens will stay on the nest if there is still an egg. Unfortunately with out knowing the hens tendandancies it would be tough to tell if she will stay put.
If there is any chance of the other eggs being fertile you could see if they started before adding chicken eggs.

 

[Frodo the Pekin]

Did Penelope lay her egg? Just by reading your thread title, I think everyone would unanimously say "No, dont do it." However, you do have valid reasons for contemplating the idea. I wish your duck was laying more than 1 egg every 3 days, as you surely do too. Be aware that even though the additional egg is fertile, it doesn't mean the embryo will survive to hatching. Also, there is a chance the broody may not accept the early-hatched duckling after she has hatched the second. However, I think you can avoid that possibility by returning the older duckling under the cover of darkness on the same night after the second duckling hatches. Make sure you return the older duckling before she leaves the nest box with the younger duckling, and I think your first plan will work. I think it will work because I've done that with broodies and chicks many times, including with broodies that would Not accept additional chicks after they left the nest box with their other chicks.

I'm not going to comment on your second plan because I don't have ducks, so don't know if giving the single duck egg a 7 day head start before adding chicken eggs will also work. I hope you can get advice from people who have done
help you decide which path to choose.

I think either plan will work. Some hens will stay on the nest if there is still an egg. Unfortunately with out knowing the hens tendandancies it would be tough to tell if she will stay put.
If there is any chance of the other eggs being fertile you could see if they started before adding chicken eggs.

Hi! Thanks a lot for both your replies! Unfortunately, this morning when I went rather excitedly to check on Penelope, her nesting box was empty– so no additional egg. Now I'm really hoping she's not egg bound. I'll probably supplement her food with some calcium.

So, given the situation, my first plan won't work, and I obviously can't afford waiting one more day, hoping for an egg for her, since a 4 day staggered hatch is really not ideal. I'll probably add some olive egger eggs on day 7 to the nest, if the other duck eggs do turn out being infertile. I'd hate for the singleton to grow up with no one but his mom.

Buut there's also the chance of the other eggs being fertile after all, and hopefully viable for hatching, so fingers crossed to that.

 

[SueT]

I'd hate for the singleton to grow up with no one but his mom.

This isn’t actually a problem. I had this happen with chickens. Mama lavished all her attention on the one baby who turned out to be a boy. He now is the gentle wise leader of our flock.

 

[Frodo the Pekin]

This isn’t actually a problem. I had this happen with chickens. Mama lavished all her attention on the one baby who turned out to be a boy. He now is the gentle wise leader of our flock.
View attachment 3593626

Oh that's actually so sweet

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

This isn’t actually a problem. I had this happen with chickens. Mama lavished all her attention on the one baby who turned out to be a boy. He now is the gentle wise leader of our flock.
View attachment 3593626

The only problem is that the broody is a chicken, and OP wanted her to hatch duck eggs! That was their dilemma, that one lone duck woudl be harder to integrate with their duck flock. I totally agree with you that a lone chicken chick with a mom isn't a problem.

 

[Frodo the Pekin]

The only problem is that the broody is a chicken, and OP wanted her to hatch duck eggs! That was their dilemma, that one lone duck woudl be harder to integrate with their duck flock. I totally agree with you that a lone chicken chick with a mom isn't a problem.

This isn’t actually a problem. I had this happen with chickens. Mama lavished all her attention on the one baby who turned out to be a boy. He now is the gentle wise leader of our flock.
View attachment 3593626

I think either plan will work. Some hens will stay on the nest if there is still an egg. Unfortunately with out knowing the hens tendandancies it would be tough to tell if she will stay put.
If there is any chance of the other eggs being fertile you could see if they started before adding chicken eggs.

Update: ALL 4 eggs are fertile and kicking, as of the day 4 candling! I'm ecstatic!

 

[Luv Ducks]

I have had a single duckling hatch out in my house before and gave it a stuffed animal and a mirror. When old enough to move it outside it was separated by netting but the other ducks could see it and it could see them. After a couple of weeks it was let in with the rest of the flock at 6 weeks of age and all was well. I hope all of yours hatch. Good luck.