27 new muscovies hatched!

[Caprice_Acres]

Between two nests of 16 and 15, I have received a total of 27 ducklings. Thankfully 13 are reserved, the remaining 14 I might keep or sell a few. There looks to be some lilacs, blacks, blues, one chocolate, and lots of whites and/or color crested whites! The first nest hatched mostly on the 3rd, and the second nest on the 4th.

One of the hens stole most of the babies - leaving the other with only 4. So, 22 under one hen, 4 under the other, and one in the brooder inside because I had to hatch it in the incubator, since the hen that stole babies kicked the other hen off the nest. I also have two more eggs in the incubator but they were pretty cold when I found them, not sure if they will do anything.

I LOVE new muscovy babies.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Well done to the two moms.!!!

Best of luck with those last few eggs in the bator.... Did you candle them at all before you put them in to check for signs of life?

 

[Wifezilla]

I find the lack of pictures disturbing....

 

[Caprice_Acres]

Went out there this morning and couldn't find the 4 ducklings I gave to one of the hens.

On a good note, the duckling in the brooder went out to stay in the run with the other hen and the rest of the ducklings. I'm about to go out to the pasture to look for them again, and count the ducklins in the run again to make sure she didn't just 'absorb' them into her clutch, as when they're this little they CAN go back and forth through the wire, though they tend to stay with their momma.

I know, I know... I talked about babies and didn't post a picture. Please forgive?

This is the momma in the run, when she still had 26 babies under her :

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

Omg!!!!!! I want ducklings again. They are so adorable!!!! So lucky to have all them hatch

 

[Caprice_Acres]

Just wanted to say I found the 4 ducklings - under the hen pictured above. I had 12 white ones total, so if they were missing she would've had only 8 white ones out there - thankfully, I counted all 12 under her. So, they're not eaten - just somehow managed to find their way back to that momma! What a harried momma - 27 little peepers. I think I have 3 going to a new home today, so that will lighten the load slightly, so to speak. And thankfully, it's going to be in the 90's for the next few days so she shouldn't need to brood them to keep them warm or anything.

The other hen that now has no babies is not acting like she lost her babies to predators or being sold - she knows the other hen took them, the poor thing! First clutch I sold the entire bunch, and now this one she had them taken. She'll likely start another nest soon, the third for her this season.

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

Give her some back

lol. I'm sure shed accept them back lol. Poorgirl. Maybe separate the two moms?

 

[Goat_Walker]

CONGRATS!!!!!!

I recently had a happy hatch !!

My black mama had 23 babies and my white mama had 19! I sold all but 6 which i let the mama's keep. Now my white hen bosses my black hen around and they both end up sitting on the nest at night.

 

[Caprice_Acres]

It's kinda complicated, but I don't think taking the babies again would help - mainly because they can get through the chicken wire if they want. If they've gone back to their momma of choice once, they'll likely keep doing it.

At least, the hen with no babies isn't acting terribly distraught... like she realizes they're still around, but not 'hers'.

Poor dear. I hope she does start another nest but none others are due at the same time, so she can happily raise her own brood for once.

 

[AdamD77]

Wow, they did well to hatch so many! And they're soooo cute

Imagine trying to fit them all under one duck