Broody duck sitting on mixed nest

[telandra2]

I have a broody duck who is sitting on what began as a goose nest but had steathly ducks add eggs. What will happen when the mixed babies hatch?

Best case: Everyone will think duck is mom and she'll have freakishly large 'ducklings'.
Worst case: Geese steal the goslings, probably killing the ducklings.

This is my terror of an over protective momma. She'll charge me, so I can envision her fighting the gaggle to retrieve her lost baby. (This is also the same duck whose nest a goose squeezed into on day 20 last year crushing 3 soon to hatch eggs.)

I also have 4 goose, 5 duck eggs in a brooder due to hatch about a week earlier. I was planning on introducing the goslings to the gaggle but sitting momma duck adds additional factors.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

What breed of duck? Goose eggs can go longer than mallard based duck eggs. Up to 35 days. Sounds like a staggered hatch too? Best to have a way to protect the duck if she hatches something.

If you allow her to raise the goslings than those will grow up and may try to mate with your ducks which can be deadly due to the size differences. It's always best to not mix species when brooding due to them imprinting on the different species.