Can a Duck Mate with a Chicken?
You must’ve noticed the similarities between ducks and chickens. Yes, you can raise them close, and they seem to get along fine.
Therefore, it’s natural to wonder, can a duck mate with a chicken? No, a duck cannot make babies with a chicken. Firstly, these birds have incompatible genitalia. Therefore, a duck is highly unlikely to impregnate a chicken successfully. Secondly, they have different chromosomal orientations.
However, there are claims from around the world of duck and chicken hybrids being born. You might have heard some fellow farmers swear that he saw one once.
So, is it possible? Find out in this discussion.
Want to learn more about ducks fun fact:
Is It Possible for a Duck and a Chicken to Mate?
It is unlikely that a duck can successfully mate with a chicken. Although these birds share many similarities, they are not the same species. Which makes them physically and genetically incompatible for mating.
01. Genetical Reasons
Ducks and chickens have different pairs of chromosomes. Chickens have thirty-nine, and ducks have forty pairs.
Production of an offspring requires zygote formation. However, a zygote can only form when two gamets with the same number of chromosomes meet. Plus, the genes on the chromosomes should be compatible with each other.
Therefore, the duck sperm can’t fertilize a chicken’s egg. Ducks and chickens, indeed, have a common ancestor. There are also some levels of homologousness in their genetic sequences.
Still, the birds belong to different orders. Chickens belong to Galliformes, and ducks are Anseriformes. Therefore, successful reproduction is scientifically impossible between them.
02. Incompatible Reproductive Organ
The genital organs of the birds are another critical reason they can’t mate. Their reproductive anatomy has developed differently according to the distinct needs of each species.
The ducks and chickens have cloacas. This single opening is associated with mating and egg-laying in both female birds. However, the internal structures of a chicken’s cloaca are significantly different than those of a duck.
For instance, a duck’s oviduct has specialized chambers that can store the male’s reproductive fluids. The female can use it to fertilize her eggs at a later time. This is not the case with hens.
Therefore, a chicken’s cloaca won’t be able to accommodate a male duck’s organ. Plus, a male duck has a noticeably different organ than a rooster. Drake’s corkscrew-shaped external genitalia are fit for copulation in water.
In contrast, the rooster lacks a penis altogether. Instead, there is a small bump known as papilla. The male chicken uses this organ to transfer its reproductive fluids to the female.
In short, the birds’ reproductive system has significant structural and mechanical differences. And that makes it quite impossible for them to mate.
03. Different Copulation Behaviors
Another reason for ducks and hens not mating is their different copulation behaviors. For instance, ducks are more aggressive in their approach.
Drakes would often pursue a female ruthlessly. Eventually, they force themselves on the ducks. Meanwhile, chickens have a more consensual ritual. A rooster would dance, offer food, and circle a hen to gain its consent.
Also, ducks and chickens have different languages to catch the female’s attention. For instance, drakes use synchronized swimming to engage ducks. Meanwhile, Roosters crow to signal their readiness for hens.
There is also much difference in the birds’ preferences for mating sites. For instance, ducks are fond of places with water and cold. Meanwhile, chickens will avoid wetness and mate in warm, dry environments.
Is There Any Evidence of Successful Mating Between Ducks and Chickens?
The evidence of a successful chicken and duck mating would be a hybrid offspring. And there is no public knowledge of such a creature currently.
However, there have been numerous reports of duckens/dickens and chucks in the past years. You can also find some photos and videos of such creatures on the internet.
Close observation reveals that many of those are fake reports. Meanwhile, some of them are just ducks or chickens with a genetic mutation. Although they seem like a hybrid, they are actually born from parents of the same species.
Here is a summary of some well-known duck-chicken hybrids in the past few decades. These are in no way any evidence of chicken-duck mating.
Chinese Chuck 2008
Farmer Fu Haiwen discovered a chicken-duck hybrid at a farm in China. This Chinese Chuck had the head of a mallard. But its feet were like chicken. Unlike other yellow-billed ducks, it had a green one.
The Chinese Chuck’s attitude was reported to be more chickenish than duck-like.
At that time, the news created quite a commotion in the media. However, there was no authentic confirmation of the Chinese Chuck being a true hybrid.
The Chuck from Texas
The Texan Chuck gained much public attention when she first made the news. There is also much supportive media evidence for this bird’s existence.
This alleged chicken-duck hybrid had the head and feet of a chicken. Therefore, many people agree that the Texan Chuck is mostly a hen. However, the rest of the body (neck, chest, abdomen) had a strong resemblance to ducks.
Like ducks, this Chuck was larger than an average hen. It had an erect posture and had been seen floating and swimming in ponds.
However, the alleged hybrid never laid an egg. Also, she passed away before any confirmatory test was performed.
The Kentucky Hybrid 1904
There was an alleged chicken-duck hybrid in Kentucky in the early 1900s. It lived in the home of Albert G. Eilers. According to reports, this hybrid had a chicken’s head.
The rest of the body resembled a duck. This includes neck, wings, feet, etc.
Also, this Ducken was born from a duck egg. Which means it was born from a duck and rooster.
The mother duck took care of the hybrid when it was born. Later, Albert raised it with chickens. Reports say the creature reached a weight of 3 kg.
What Are the Risks Associated with Attempting to Crossbreed Ducks and Chickens?
You cannot naturally breed a duck and a chicken. Maybe someday, it will be possible in genetic labs with advanced scientific capabilities.
However, it’s not something that can happen in the present situation, and attempting to mate these birds is not recommended.
Such an attempt can injure or even kill the bird. As mentioned earlier, ducks have aggressive mating rituals. They would force themselves on a female, and their sexual practices include biting, penetration, etc.
A hen isn’t built to withstand that kind of behavior. The chicken’s cloaca is smaller than a duck’s and can’t accommodate the cork-screw penis.
As a result, the drake can severely injure the hen during its mating attempts. The chicken can experience bleeding, infection, and cloacal damage. Ultimately, the chicken will die during or after the mating process.
Even if a chicken survives, it will be severely traumatized. This will affect its ability to produce eggs. Other chickens in the coop might also share this trauma. This means the overall egg production rate in your poultry might be reduced.
Why Do Roosters or Drakes Try to Mate with Ducks or Hens?
It’s not unlikely to see a rooster or drake pursuing a female from the other species and attempting to mount it. So, why do the male birds behave like this despite having no chance of successful mating?
Drakes and roosters usually display such behavior when their male hormone levels get too high. The uncontrollable sexual drive from excess testosterone essentially messes up the drakes’ or roosters’ senses.
In other words, hormonally imbalanced drakes or roosters would try to mate with anything that seems like a female bird.
And since both species live close, the male bird can easily mistake a duck for a hen or vice-versa. You should also consider the similarities between the movements, sounds, and smells of chicken and ducks.
It’s important to note that a rooster/drake doesn’t do this because of some exclusive attraction towards ducks/hens. Both males are only attracted to the females of their species.
A rooster or drake can also exhibit such behavior when there is a shortage of ducks or hens in the flock. Sometimes, the males might do it to assert their dominance in a territory.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do Chicken/Duck Hybrids Exist?
No, currently, there are no authentic reports on the existence of a duck-chicken hybrid. There have been many reports and pictures of such hybrids in the past. However, none of them had any strong, supportive scientific evidence.
2. Can ducks breed with other birds?
Ducks don’t usually breed with other breeds. Although, there are rare instances where ducks mate with other waterfowl species like geese and swans. The resulting offspring is an abnormal and infertile one.
There are many species of ducks in the world. These species are known to mate with each other. For instance, the mallard duck has reportedly mated with more than 40 different duck species.
3. Is it possible for a hen to hatch duck eggs?
Yes. The incubation requirements (temperature and humidity) of duck and chicken eggs are almost similar. Although, duck eggs take a week longer to hatch. The risk for a duck egg is that a hen might abandon it prematurely, affecting the development of the duckling.
Conclusion
An unsuspecting poultry farmer might think, can a duck mate with a chicken and attempt it. However, it’s scientifically impossible and such attempts can injure the chickens. It can add stress to your poultry environment and cut down productivity.
So, it’s in your best interest not to try something like that. And that’s all for this discussion. Spread the knowledge to raise awareness among other poultry farmers. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more content.
References:
- https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/waterfowl-mating-systems-ii
- https://opensanctuary.org/ducks-and-other-species/
- http://www.macroevolution.net/chicken-duck-hybrids.html
Image Credit:
- Youtube.com/@rogak47entertainment35
