ajwhitti79
Chirping
- Jul 7, 2020
- 15
- 42
- 56
I'm sure there are many posts that ask the same sort of question, but I feel that every situation is unique so I would like some input from all the pros out there in BYC Land 
I have a broody Khaki Campbell. She is 2.5 years old and paired with a KC drake of the same age. Today is day 28. She has 13 eggs with fully developed chicks, several have internal pips so this is kind of an urgent situation. I have always heard that KC's make terrible mothers, but she went broody on her own, gathered her own eggs, and has diligently kept to her clutch since day 1.
My setup is this: In the pen with the KC's I have 7-week-old turkeys and two 7-week-old Wyandottes. The turkeys and Wyandottes have a hoop house for night time and the KCs just kind of do their own duck thing. There is not a door on the duck house in the pen. Outside of the pen, in the free-range area, I have 9 laying hens, 1 rooster, and two 7-week-old Cayugas. The Cayugas sleep under the chicken coop at night.
The drake has a history of strong aggressiveness towards ducklings. We have 2 female Cayugas that are 7 weeks old and are separated from the KC's because of his attitude. (see photos). I know it is not going to work to keep the drake with the broody once the eggs hatch. I was going to put him out with the chicken flock until the ducklings are older.... probably much older. He attacks males relentlessly and harasses females as well.
My idea was to bring the drake out to the free-range area and move the 2 Cayugas into the pen with the turkeys and broody KC. But I don't know how mama duck is going to take to two new females in her pen with hatch day upon her. I have also never had turkeys before. I don't know how the turkeys will do with the ducklings.
I need some ideas on what you might do to improve the situation. My main goal is to not upset mama duck since she has the potential to hatch 13 full KCs which I can sell. I'm obviously not going to keep them all since I don't have the space.
My worry is that after the ducklings hatch, mama duck is going to want to be with the drake. She is very attached to him. I have never had a broody duck before but I know MY ducks and my inner voice says that once the eggs are hatched, she is going to want to go back to her old way of life with the drake.
We are testing the drake with the cayugas this afternoon to see how things go. If they get along, I will just leave the drake with them until the ducklings are big enough to handle themselves.
What would you do in this situation? Thank you for your opinions.
I have a broody Khaki Campbell. She is 2.5 years old and paired with a KC drake of the same age. Today is day 28. She has 13 eggs with fully developed chicks, several have internal pips so this is kind of an urgent situation. I have always heard that KC's make terrible mothers, but she went broody on her own, gathered her own eggs, and has diligently kept to her clutch since day 1.
My setup is this: In the pen with the KC's I have 7-week-old turkeys and two 7-week-old Wyandottes. The turkeys and Wyandottes have a hoop house for night time and the KCs just kind of do their own duck thing. There is not a door on the duck house in the pen. Outside of the pen, in the free-range area, I have 9 laying hens, 1 rooster, and two 7-week-old Cayugas. The Cayugas sleep under the chicken coop at night.
The drake has a history of strong aggressiveness towards ducklings. We have 2 female Cayugas that are 7 weeks old and are separated from the KC's because of his attitude. (see photos). I know it is not going to work to keep the drake with the broody once the eggs hatch. I was going to put him out with the chicken flock until the ducklings are older.... probably much older. He attacks males relentlessly and harasses females as well.
My idea was to bring the drake out to the free-range area and move the 2 Cayugas into the pen with the turkeys and broody KC. But I don't know how mama duck is going to take to two new females in her pen with hatch day upon her. I have also never had turkeys before. I don't know how the turkeys will do with the ducklings.
I need some ideas on what you might do to improve the situation. My main goal is to not upset mama duck since she has the potential to hatch 13 full KCs which I can sell. I'm obviously not going to keep them all since I don't have the space.
My worry is that after the ducklings hatch, mama duck is going to want to be with the drake. She is very attached to him. I have never had a broody duck before but I know MY ducks and my inner voice says that once the eggs are hatched, she is going to want to go back to her old way of life with the drake.
We are testing the drake with the cayugas this afternoon to see how things go. If they get along, I will just leave the drake with them until the ducklings are big enough to handle themselves.
What would you do in this situation? Thank you for your opinions.
