Using Mama Duck to Hatch Fertile Chicken Eggs

[machoman]

So, some dogs killed 17 of our chickens. BUT, I have a mama duck who's a good mommy ( even though she now only has one leg thanks to the dogs ) AND I found a clutch of 18 or so eggs my chicken girls were hiding from me. I know they're fertile, not sure if they're fresh, but I'm going to water test one of them.

Is it worth a shot?

 

[Cowgirl71]

I've never had ducks (hope to get some this year!), but what I've heard is that using ducks to hatch chicken eggs is not optimal. Ducks keep chicken eggs quite humid. Ducks tend to break chicken eggs and squish/smother newly hatched chicks with their large size and webbed feet. If the duck does successfully hatch some chicks, MAKE SURE to grab up the chicks right away and raise them yourself or else the momma duck will try to teach them to swim.

But if you've got a broody duck I say go for it! What have you got to lose?