Well, OOPS

The ducks have been laying lots of eggs, but so far have not been inclined to become mothers.  There was a chicken hen who decided it was time for her to take on mothering responsibilities but  that was at a time when I was short on eggs for sale.

I gave the hen 4 duck eggs.  Duck eggs take 28-31 days to hatch.  Chicken eggs take 20-22 days to hatch.  In case the duck eggs weren't fertile, I gave the hen 4 blue chicken eggs one week after giving her the duck eggs so if the ducks didn't hatch she would not have sat in the nest for four weeks for nothing.  There is no doubt our chicken eggs are fertile.  The theory is that all the birds will hatch at the same time and that theory has worked well in the past.

HOWEVER, apparently one of the "duck" eggs was really a very large white chicken egg because today when I was gathering eggs and checking on Mother hen the cutest little beak and beady eyes were peeking out from under her wing.  It is a really cute little chick but now the dilemma is:  Do I let her keep it and hope she doesn't abandon her nest before the others hatch or do I take it away and raise it by itself.?