What do you do with a broody duck?

[Madhouse Pullet]

Asking for my mom.

She's got 2 female cayuga ducks and one is broody. She's been sitting on chicken eggs for 26 days and whatever the other duck lays. Pretty sure the chicken eggs are a flop but she's still sitting.
I was looking to get a day old duckling but everywhere only has 1-2 week + old ducklings.

1. Do ducks make good mothers to chickens?
2. Will she eventually give up or should my mom remove the eggs to break the broodiness?

Thank you in advance

 

[sourland]

I've had great luck with chicken hens raising ducklings, but very poor luck with duck hens raising chicks. In my experience they inadvertently step on and crush chicks or get them wet and chilled.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd take the eggs. She won't snap out of her broodiness overnight but if you take the eggs, remove every speck of her nest, if in a coop replace with fresh bedding, she will get over it, just takes time for the hormones to subside.

 

[KaleIAm]

I would also take the eggs. I didn't one time, thinking my two broody ducks would eventually give up. They didn't. They never gave up. I cleared everything away and they moved on. Your mom's duck may behave differently, but in the meantime she's missing out on nutrition she could be getting because she's using her energy incubating eggs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And missing out on her summer vacation! That's what I keep telling my girls.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

You said she is sitting on whatever the other duck lays? If there are duck eggs under her those may still be good since ducklings hatch at 28 days. If you don't want her to hatch them remove the eggs, clean out the old bedding and she should go back eventually. My one duck was stubborn with it, but I just made sure to clear the eggs daily and she eventually calmed down.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

If I order day old ducklings* (the soonest I may get any would be next week), do you think she will accept them if we slipped them under her at night?

 

[Miss Lydia]

You mean chicks like in chickens?

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

You mean chicks like in chickens?

Ahhh I meant ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It’s a toss up she may accept them or reject them. You’ll need to have a brooder set up and ready just in case