Love a duck! Mother hen adopts abandoned ducklings

A broody hen has taken these three ducklings under her wing after they were abandoned by their impatient mother who fled the nest before they hatched.

The Maran hen - desperate for chicks of her own - eagerly took over after the wayward duck gave up after incubating the eggs for 21 days.



The three ducklings hatched just one week later later and are now inseparable from their unlikely mum.

Melissa McBride, who works at Lower Shaw Farm near Swindon, Wilts., said: "They are so sweet and follow the mother hen around everywhere."



"They were adorable - just 10cm (4 inches) in size when they hatched. They've now grown to about 15cm (6 inches) but still fit into the palm of my hand. "The mother hen was really broody but we don't want the hens constantly hatching chicks so usually take their eggs away.

"But when we noticed the duck wasn't sitting anymore we gave them to the hen who gladly adopted them." The proud new mum has yet to spot they are an entirely different species despite the ducklings jumping into the water trough that the hens drink from.