Baby duckling help!!

[aprillynnk7]

We have 2 female pekin and 1 male pekin. 1 of the females started laying eggs and laying on them. They just hatched over the weekend and we are not sure if we should remove the other female and male or leave them be. We had 10 hatch and are also worried there may not be enough room for them comfortably since we have seen the male step on the ducklings and not have a care in the world. He does seem to try to protect them when the dogs get close to their fence but he always seems to step on them. The mama is very protective so we do not want to upset her however we don't want to find dead ducklings. We have another space we can move them to but should we move just the female and male? Will moving the ducklings and mama cause too much upset for the mama?

We were not prepared for these ducklings as we didn't think they would really hatch... especially 10 of them!

 

[ragschickens]

Where do you live? Really wanting a Pekin duckling in CO!

 

[aprillynnk7]

Im from Ohio, sorry.

 

[lomine]

Would it be possible to put up a barrier and section off the part of the coop where the mama is until the ducklings are bigger? That way you don't have to move her but the ducklings are safe.

 

[triplepurpose]

so... you kept a drake with your ducks, you allowed a duck to set some eggs--but were you were surprised that ducklings hatched...? i dont follow your reasoning....

seriously tho: so, all the drake has done is step on them a few times? were the ducklings actually hurt? im guessing not? ive seen mother ducks step on their own ducklings too, abd they were fine (and hens with chicks). it happens: a duck doesnt weigh that much and ducklings are resilient.

you mention the drake seems protective of them and you dont mention him doing anything malicious towards them. you could try to put up a barrier in the pen, but it would be infortunate to break up or interfere with a good family dynamic solely over an imagined danger.

hoever i do imagine youll definitely need to enlarge the coop soon anyway, or sell some ducklings. ducklings grow pretty quick.

 

[Amiga]

I agree with lomine.