A Question About Ducks - Broodiness?

[Dances with Ducks]

Hi Daniel! I think we have a big time difference if you are in Wales, so your last post was at 4:13 am and the next at 7:28 here in Colorado. Anyway it's probably not a good idea to repeat questions.
I think you are right about when to separate the drake. No need to do it sooner unless he is causing some kind of problem.

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

okay dose the mother duck sit on the eggs when thay are hatching?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Yes she will sit on the eggs until all of them are hatched. I was amazed my hen sat there from Tuesday morning to Thursday midday if I remember the time frame right.
I have video of her (I don't know how to post it) but it shows when she stands up a bit while she licks a duckling as it is pullling out of the egg.

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

what about if i take the black swedish and the young (when thay hatch) out and put them in to a diffrant run will that be ok ?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Yes, when they are all done hatching as long as she is acting like a good mother you can take her and ducklings out and put them in a separate run.

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

ill just put wire in the middle of the run drake on one side and the 2 girls and young on the other side can the young eat chick crum ?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Chicken crumbles are good as long as the only medicine in them is Amprolium. If there is any other kind of medicine we should check to see if it is a type that is OK for ducks.
Using wire across the pen seems good because when the day comes to allow the younger ducks with the drake, they will already had long time to visit through the wire. Will he have a predator proof place to sleep at night?

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

yeah

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

but i dont know what medicine is in the Chicken crumble tho

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Do you have the bag? It should say on the label. Or you may have to call or go back to the store where you bought it to find out. Here in the USA I think they have taken the medicines that are bad for ducks out of the chick starter. It used to cause ducklings to die because they would eat too much. But I don't know anything about poultry feeds in Wales. It's probably OK, it would just be good to be sure. Do your ducks have a place to free range? Because that really helps them to find their own best nutrition.