# Incubating chicken and duck eggs together?



## woadleaf (Jan 10, 2008)

What's the best plan of action here? 
Start them together and skip turning the duck eggs during the chick hatch?

OR

Wait a week after starting the duck eggs to put in the chicken eggs so they hatch together?

TIA!


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Do you have a hatcher? What about your brooding area, can you brood them separately? If not, are you prepared to brood them together? (It can be done, but is a bit inconvenient, because the ducklings make such a water mess.) If you have a hatcher and can brood them separately, it doesn't matter all that much. If you have to brood them together, better for them to hatch at the same time, so that the ducklings aren't a lot bigger than the chicks. Also, if you don't have a hatcher, then plan for them to hatch at the same time or close to it, it is easier I think.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Duck eggs need higher humidity too, so spraying them with water will probably be necessary. 

I'd personally start the chicken eggs a week into the duck incubation so they're all due at the same time. That way they're not going 3 days in one position so late in development. 

I have a 4 rack hatcher, I keep the duck separate so that I can spray them while keeping the humidity general. Other than that, I keep eggs that are closer to 'due' underneath eggs that aren't due, so the drippings don't fall on viable eggs not ready yet. But I don't know your set up so I don't know if that applies to you.


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## woadleaf (Jan 10, 2008)

I've only got the one still air LG incubator. I was planning on the Rouen eggs, but the Brahma eggs were given as a surprise bonus!

I can brood them separately, but they would all need to hatch in the incubator. Given the weather here lately, high humidity isn't an issue.


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