can I convince a duck hen to raise a duckling?

[Stacey Adele]

Hi!
I have a lone duckling who should, hopefully, be hatching tomorrow (sadly, the other 3 eggs quit). It has pipped already and has done a little cheeping. I have a brooder ready to go. I am wondering though, if I could just put a duck hen in the brooder and stick the pipped egg (or a dry duckling after hatched) under her and then she'll raise it? And would it be better to do this in the house, or in the coop where the hen is used to living? I have seen videos of this with chicks online and asked in a couple of different forums and had a variety of responses, but I haven't heard anything about this with ducks. Does anyone have experience with this?
Thank you!!

 

[FrostRanger]

Nope, unless she's broody the duckling will almost certainly be rejected and may be attacked and injured or killed. I'd raise it yourself and see if you can track down another duckling or 2 (as hard as that may be rn) for companionship

 

[Stacey Adele]

Nope, unless she's broody the duckling will almost certainly be rejected and may be attacked and injured or killed. I'd raise it yourself and see if you can track down another duckling or 2 (as hard as that may be rn) for companionship

Yes, we are worried about her being lonely. I am just googling about raising one duckling with a few chicks. I've already searched locally for day old ducklings available, and there was nothing at the moment. Just hatching eggs, or ducklings coming soon.

 

[Evadig]

Yes, we are worried about her being lonely. I am just googling about raising one duckling with a few chicks. I've already searched locally for day old ducklings available, and there was nothing at the moment. Just hatching eggs, or ducklings coming soon.

Ducklings can be up to a week apart; I had this same situation - one duck hatched, mother rejected it. I ordered ducklings and they arrived the next week. Hope you’re able to find some!

 

[FrostRanger]

If push comes to shove, you could set things up so the duckling can see the chicks but not interact with them (ducklings are messy and that can be problematic for chicks so you don't want them to actually be in the same brooder) and make sure you interact with the duckling a lot yourself. It certainly isn't ideal to raise a lone duckling but sometimes it happens