The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Daisys Mum on April 25, 2010, 09:44:46 pm
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I have been given 3 goose eggs which could be fertile and was going to put them in the incubator but I have a broody light sussex hen and wondered if it might be worth letting her sit on them.(it would also save me cleaning out the incubator after turkeys)
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Hmmm, maybe a tad big for her? And what about when tehy hatch - will she be able to teach the goosey things or henny things - are they a lot different?
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Years ago this happened.We ended up havng a broody hen sitting on a duck egg amidst her own and he hatched out, was great as a little bub but when he was bigger he would try to straddle the rest of the brood, so he then was moved from them pretty darn quick. It may work but be sure when they hatch that they imprint on to you and not the hen :)
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Around here folk have told me that a hen is a better mother than a duck(less greedy and more protective) so I have been told not to let a duck sit her eggs but use a hen. It does work, a hen watches her ducklings eat but a duck mother will eat her share first etc. A goose egg I would have thought would be too big for a hen and the hen will not be able to supply enough moisure anyway. My geese have hatched ducks(large breed ducks) very successfully.
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Just as an aside - NEVER let a duck hatch a chicken. First thing she will do with it is drown it. The chickens don't know any better and just follow 'Mum'
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Have decided to let the hen have a go at hatching the goose eggs, she didn't apear to mind when I put them under her, also put lots of extra straw in.If it doesn't work it does not really matter as I was given the eggs to eat anyway, so fingers crossed.