“Wild” chicken took over ducks nest

[Newchick429]

We have neighbors chickens, our own, and two ducks. A Muscovy cross drake, and a Peking. The Peking made a nest in our yard, one of the wild chickens took it over and went broody.
Our duck now has decided this is her nest and babies. She cases the hen out and sits on the eggs. Rolling them, etc. When she gets up, the chicken hops back on the nest.
Our drake is a mule, so the eggs she’s laying are infertile (to my knowledge) It’s a little hilarious, but I’m also concerned. What happens if these chicks hatch while our duck is laying on them?
Will her eggs go bad in the incubation time and destroy the other chicks? The eggs are so similar in size and color, I don’t know how to sort them.
Also the chicken gets pretty upset when I mess with them. Any advice is appreciated for this first time mama
Also, I cannot separate them. My ducks are free range, and I believe this chicken and her crew of three freeloaders don’t belong to anyone. Tyia!

 

[DobieLover]

You wrote that the chicken took over the duck nest and that the duck eggs are more likely than not infertile. Why aren't you collecting the duck eggs daily?
What eggs are fertile in the nest? The chicken hen's?

Was the chicken hen laying her eggs in with the infertile duck eggs and just recently started setting the eggs? If so, remove all the infertile duck eggs and mark the fertile chicken eggs using a pencil and make a mark all the way around the circumference of her eggs. Then check the nest every single day and remove any and all eggs that don't have a mark. You do NOT want a staggered hatch.

If the duck is now broody and getting grafted the the nest the hen is now setting, I would put the duck in a broody breaker and break her broodiness. You also don't want a duck and a chicken trying to hatch on the same nest. I can't see anything good coming of that.

 

[Yardmom]

Do you want the chicken to hatch the chicken eggs? If so remove all eggs not developing and use fencing to keep the duck away.
The light from a cell phone when it is dark can help you figure out which eggs are developing. If you don't want chicks remove all the eggs and block off the nest.