A Question About Ducks - Broodiness?

[Daniel_2kaii9]

yeah lol

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

hey Dances with Ducks! when thay hatch shall i keep the black swedish with the young yeah? and when shall i separate the drake the day the ducklings are suppost 2 hatch yeah? and shall i separate the pekin girl from the black swedish when the ducklings hatch or the day there suppost 2 hatch ? sorry if that sounds confusing lol

 

[Dances with Ducks]

It really does sound like the Swedish is the best bet from what everyone has said. Unless she gives up or something else weird before the hatch. Looks like your drake is being really nice, so might as well wait until you separate him, and also the Pekin hen. It seems like they are actually supporting each other for now. And I'm starting to wonder how the Swedish would feel if they were removed? But probably she will be so focused when they hatch she won't notice much. So like you asked, if you wait until the day they are supposed to hatch that would seem to be best.
Unless anyone else has any experience or insight on this?

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

hey Soccer Mom! what duck's have u got

 

[Soccer Mom]

Hi, Daniel.

At the moment, I am now completely duckless. It feels weird. I will be starting over with a fresh flock in the spring and I'll focus solely on Swedes for a while and then also on Welsh Harlequins. But until recently I had Swedes, Crested Pekin, Magpies, Rouens, and Cayugas. MIne had all interbred over the years, that they were all crossed with something. I loved my mutt flock, but after a bad predator attack I decided to rehome the remaining ducks, kill some raccoons, and refocus in the spring.

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

when i feed my ducklings chick crum is it ok if mama duck eats it aswell ?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

I don't know for sure, but I can tell you what I read once. That it is OK for her to eat the chick feed even tho it has high protein, because being broody takes a lot out of her and the extra protein helps her to rebuild. That's what I did and she seems fine, she started laying again about a month after the ducklings hatched.

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

so yeah she can eat it? and how old do the ducklings have 2 be before i can take the wire from the middle of the run so the drake can go in with them ? i might keep both girls in with the young see how it gose couse im afraid just in case when i put wire in the middle of the run and separate the 2 pekin's from the black swed she might not sit so shall i keep the 2 girls with the young ?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

I think the chick starter will be fine for her.
I just don't know for sure about when to separate them. Especially if you suspect the Swedish may stop sitting when they are taken away from the other ducks. I think the main thing is to watch them and if you see any problems you will know to immediately separate them. It could go many different ways so since you are the one there to observe, and you know what to watch out for, your judgement will be the best.
I think you may need to keep the drake separate for quite a while, like close to two months before the ducklings are big enough to be safe with a Pekin drake.
How much space do you have in your pen?

 

[Daniel_2kaii9]

its 9 foot long and 4 and a half foot wide