(I wasn't sure if I should put this in "other fowl", "hatching", "raising babies" or what so please excuse me if this is the wrong place.) I have a duck who is laying every day in a nest she made by the gazebo. I can tell she is wanting to set. She stands by the nest and chases away cats and stuff when they get close and she is always trying to set on her nest without interuption. The thing is, there is only 1 egg in her nest because we take them up. I don't really need a bunch of ducks, but if I put two or three chicken eggs in there do you think she would set? Would she take care of them once they hatched or run them off? She is a few years old and has had many clutches before. I know with it getting into the cold weather and her not setting reguarly there is a high chance the egg won't hatch, but if she's going to go through all that trouble I would like to get some babies from it if at all possible.
Quote:LOL! I think I'll try it. Even if she doesn't take care of them, it won't be very hard to care for 2-3 chicks.
Yes, they will. I have a freind that when he was little would switch the chicken and duck eggs just for fun. The duck would go into the water and the chicks would have a fit they couldn't follow, or the ducklings would go into the water and the mother hen would stand on the edge having a fit. You can do it, but its mean.
It is so funny. I'm doing the reverse right now. My chicken is setting on duck eggs. My only worry is the swimming thing. I was told it would be just fine... couldn't hurt to try it!
I had a chicken hatch 3 duck eggs a few years ago and she didn't recognize them as her babies. She just left them, so I raised them. Elizabeth
