Unsecure chicken perches

[rowan]

Advise please!

 

One of our hens went broody and we decided to get some pekin duck eggs for her to hatch. She's still sitting day 18, but she wouldn't let us move her to a broody house, so she remained in the main hen house with 7 other hens. Then ten days ago a second hen went broody and since then they have been "sharing" the eggs.

 

Today I finally managed to persuade them both to go to a separate house away from the other hens. But my question is

will the two hens "share" the ducklings if they hatch or is that too idealistic?!

 

Also any advice on raising ducks via hens would be appreciated.

 

Many thanks

[Guest]

going to post a link to this to someone who might be able to help....

[donald]

Not sure about two hens but yes my Aylesburys ducks were hatched and very well looked after by a mummy silkie!

 

Quite sad really to see a chicken raising her ducklings!

 

Donald

[chuckmum6]

When I was a child we had a bantie who hatched and raised a duckling, she did get worried when it plunged into the pond , but otherwise ok!!!!! She was a better mother than rather dodgy duck mums.

[Lewis]

I had a broody hatch Orville (my avatar ) last year ... she was great!

Bit confused when he went swimming but otherwise fine

 

2 may be able to share them. Ducklings won't stay under the broody for very long so that may help them share ... make sure you keep an eye on them though

[rowan]

They're a very funny pair the two broodies together. Putting up with each other - not so much zen hens as hormonal hens! I'll watch carefully and let you know how we get on. the reality is we don't have two broody houses so can't separate them and I don't have the heart to try to discourage one from being broody at this stage...

 

thank you!

[Lewis]

Sure you do, but remember ducks take longer to hatch

 

Good luck

[rowan]

I've now separated the two broodies - i put a divided in the hen house so each broody is sat on her own eggs and has her own entrance... we'll see...

[Lewis]

Sounds like it may be better

[donald]

Hi

 

I have 3 bantams sitting on one duck egg! I am going to pick and remove one bantam to keep sitting in another eglu in the next week as I am not sure what they will do to the duckling if the egg does hatch fine?? I would rather it had one mother!

 

Thats if the egg is fertile, I keep meaning to check!

But the chickens do make good mummy ducks.

Donald