Muscovy hen Quacks has developed a interesting new behavior I though I'd share with you guys. After finding our current broody chicken(Jordan) sitting on a whole clutch of duck eggs, I was more than curious to know how that happened. Had Quacks been hiding this nest and Jordan just stumbled upon it? After several hours of surveillance and bribing mixed drake Nibbles with a few cornbread treats, I spotted Quacks. She waddled over to where Jordan was sitting, sat down next to her and laid. She then proceeded to get up and push the egg under the hen. After I picked my jaw up off the ground, I knew it was a must to come and ask: Have any of you had similar incidents? I never would've suspected that's what was going on.
Frequently hens (either duck or chicken) will add eggs to an established nest. The problem inherent with this is that it will result in a staggered hatch and desertion of developing eggs.
That's funny she pushed the egg under the hen after laying , she saw the opportunity and took it surrogate mother and all. I have seen my hens laying their eggs in the ducks nest before said ducks begin to brood but I don't leave them there. and yes having a staggered hatch usually ends up with ducklings/chicks being left to die that haven't hatched yet.
