Animals

Hen hatches ducklings after sitting on wrong eggs. Hilda the hen has hatched a clutch of ducklings after accidentally sitting on the wrong nest of eggs.

The broody Bantam hen nested over the five eggs for a month apparently unaware that they had been laid by a duck.

Farm owner Philip Palmer was also none the wiser as Hilda barely left the duck eggs alone until they hatched after 28 days.

And even when tiny Indian runner ducklings emerged instead of fluffy yellow chicks, Hilda wasn't put off and adopted the babies as her own.

It would seem that the only time Hilda will realise the difference is when her brood waddle down to the pond and float - something chickens just can't do.

Phillip, 45, who runs the Farmer Palmer's childrens' activity farm near Poole, Dorset, said: "Hilda doesn't seem bothered at all, the ducklings follow her around just as chicks would.

"Our ducks and chickens live together so a duck must have laid her eggs and that caused the mix-up.

"When I saw Hilda sitting on some eggs I thought they were hers or another chicken's and as she barely moved I had no ideas they were duck eggs.

"She was quite happy to sit there and nest them for the next 28 days and when they hatched I was shocked, instead of chicks we had ducklings!

"It was so surprising but lovely and she has proved to be very capable at raising them.

"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.

"The ducklings don't leave her side and if they get scared they run for cover under their 'mum'.

"It is very sweet to see.

"The only way they will really notice the difference is when the ducks start swimming in the pond."