Will a broody chicken take hatch and raise ducklings?

[Moochie]

I ask because I don't want ducklings hatching with a broody this year and the broody pecking them or running away from them because she doesn't know what they are.
Thank you for any reply.

 

[ChickenPrnces]

If you are gonna use a broody to hatch duck eggs I would think the best way would be to let her hatch them then take them away because a duckling has different needs then a chick. A broody is not gonna teach a duckling to swim or clean out its nose in a bucket of water!

 

[Fleabuskitty]

I've heard it works, but I haven't tried it. Although if I were to I would put the duck eggs in an incubator for the first week instead of directly under the broody - it would be bad if she got discouraged after they didn't hatch on the 21st (or 22nd or 23rd) day and stopped sitting on them.

 

[HIS Paintbrush]

You bet, she will hatch and raise. I've seen it done but they get a little frantic when their little chickies go for a swim in a puddle.

 

[Moochie]

Hmm.. Is it better to go with a broody duck then? I'm afraid of a cochin giving up on sitting too! I don't have an incubator so yeah.. I have no idea if any of my ducks are broody breeds though. I have runners, rouens, and 1 white crested. Plus I don't know how to deal with broody ducks.. Unlike the chickens, the ducks usually run away from me when I get close. Even if I have treats too.

 

[sourland]

I have raised multiple broods of ducklings using chicken hens as surrogate mothers. The only problem that I ever had was with an elderly hen who had raised multiple broods of chicks. She knew that the ducklings were not 'normal', and I had to remove and hand rear them. It really is hysterical how they freak out when the ducklings enter water to swim.