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Hen Hatches Ducklings, Not Chicks
Talk about a confused chicken. Hilda the hen hatched a group of ducklings after sitting on the wrong nest of eggs by accident.
According to the U.K. Daily Mail, farmer Philip Palmer had no idea that his hen was sitting on a set of five eggs that didn't belong to her. Because Palmer's ducks and chickens live together at his farm near Dorset, England, he suspects Hilda must have found the unattended eggs laid by a duck and believed them to be her own.
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Hilda nested on the five eggs for 28 days. When they hatched, Hilda seemed concerned that instead of fluffy yellow chicks, they were fuzzy Indian brown ducklings. The ducklings began following their foster mother's every move.
RELATED: Labrador Retriever adopts duckling.
"The ducklings aren't aware that their mother is a hen and Hilda is totally unaware that she's actually got a bunch of ducks waddling behind her," said Palmer. "It was so surprising, but lovely, and she has proved to be very capable at raising them."
Palmer says that Hilda won't realize that her ducklings are not chicks until they begin swimming in the pond, something that Hilda won't be able to do with her adopted babies.
RELATED VIDEO: Duck plays fetch.
According to the U.K. Daily Mail, farmer Philip Palmer had no idea that his hen was sitting on a set of five eggs that didn't belong to her. Because Palmer's ducks and chickens live together at his farm near Dorset, England, he suspects Hilda must have found the unattended eggs laid by a duck and believed them to be her own.
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RELATED: Play the Who's Cutest game!
Hilda nested on the five eggs for 28 days. When they hatched, Hilda seemed concerned that instead of fluffy yellow chicks, they were fuzzy Indian brown ducklings. The ducklings began following their foster mother's every move.
RELATED: Labrador Retriever adopts duckling.
"The ducklings aren't aware that their mother is a hen and Hilda is totally unaware that she's actually got a bunch of ducks waddling behind her," said Palmer. "It was so surprising, but lovely, and she has proved to be very capable at raising them."
Palmer says that Hilda won't realize that her ducklings are not chicks until they begin swimming in the pond, something that Hilda won't be able to do with her adopted babies.
RELATED VIDEO: Duck plays fetch.
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21 Comments
i wonder if the ducklings will ever learn that they can swim, since the mother they see never swims
June 28 2012 at 5:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySo cute! It reminds me of that "Lassie" episode where Timmy felt bad that the naughty boy killed the Eagle egg so he put a duck egg in it's place...
April 12 2012 at 3:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWhere is the mother duck? Did she not look for her eggs and nest?
April 12 2012 at 11:43 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis is one dumb chick! Doesn't even know her own species eggs? Duck eggs and chicken eggs are two different sizes and shapes.
April 12 2012 at 11:04 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyShe's not dumb! She's a mother, doing what mothers do. Have you never heard of adoption?
April 28 2012 at 10:52 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyduck duck cluck.
April 12 2012 at 10:28 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replywhen I was little, we had a hen that done the very thing but, she killed all the peep's tryin to keep them from going in the water..hope this doesn't happen too these...
April 12 2012 at 10:11 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replywhen i was little we had a chicken that done the same thing and she killed all the babies. trying to keep them from the water..I hope this hen doesn't..
April 12 2012 at 10:09 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replydip down we are all one family it all about love
April 12 2012 at 3:22 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyBy the count, looks like she may have sat on a couple more eggs, than five. Chicks are so cute, just adorable. You go, Hilda!
April 12 2012 at 2:45 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replywe used to set chickens on duck eggs when their mom deserted he nest and when the ducks would go for a swim, the hen would go nuts.
April 12 2012 at 2:00 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply