Runners about to hatch out of coop

[Rabidole]

Our favorite runner (the only friendly one) made her nest outside the coop and I decided to just leave her be. Thing is, we’ve had a bad drought since she started sitting and the pond is nasty and nearly empty - I don’t want her taking babies in there. I’ve also been reading that they often abandon the ducklings after hatching and I’m not eager to risk that. Should I take her and her babies once they’re born and lock them all up in the coop for a month? I’ve only ever raised runners without the mom and I wanted her to do it this time, since she‘s such a good duck. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Jenbirdee]

sounds like you have to if you want to keep them out of the low level pond or at least build a temporary fenced in area around them where they are at now with some kind of rain cover protection and some wind protection like even a picnic table with a board on the side, to keep them from getting soaked in thunderstorms or pummeled with hail, what’s the temperature like like Where you are ? is it too hot to lock them off in the shed for a month? it would be too hot if I did that here. Unless I put some air conditioning in my shed lol.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Oh, and by the way, congratulations you’re a duck grandparent !

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you have a coop and run section off part for mama and ducklings. It's a miracle you haven't lost mom but once ducklings hatch and peeping start every predator around is going to know you have food. [ducklings]
Inside the coop you can make a space for mom and babies so the are with the flock but protected. I am doing this now for my Muscovy who hatched 2 Runner ducklings. They are a month old now but since they are sharing this coop with a Muscovy drake and female I had to keep mama and ducklings separated.