Broody Duck is Ignoring her Babies.

[Mary Coleman]

I had a Swedish blue duck hatch 5 ducklings yesterday, but now that she has her babies she doesn't seem to pay any attention to them. I found her sitting in my yard alone without any of the babies so I thought they had been eaten by a predator. I've had a problem lately... I heard peeping in my garden (which is on the opposite side of the house where moma duck was sitting) I found all five ducklings walking all together lost in the garden. Relieved I herded them back to mom and they were ecstatic to have found their mom. Mom on the other hand didn't even give them so much as a sideways glance. All morning she seems to have been shunning the babies. She doesn't peck at them or anything, but she doesn't seem very motherly to them. She is a first time mom. I'm not sure what to do. I'm contemplating taking the babies away to a separate brooder. Thoughts?

 

[Mary Coleman]

 

[Mary Coleman]

This is mom and her babies far off away from her.

 

[silkiecuddles]

Oh poor little things! If she continues ignoring them, then I'd put them in a pen with a heat lamp. During the day if it is hot (80°+) you could turn the lamp off. Don't let them swim unattended. They'll drown. Don't leave them in a pen with a drake. Very likely they'd get mauled. Personal experiences.
Good luck!

 

[Mary Coleman]

Okay thank you for the reply. It's very warm outside. About 95 so they'll be plenty warm. I have some chicks shipping soon so they'll have to share their brooder with some ducklings if this continues.

 

[silkiecuddles]

Ok. 95°, they'll be fine during the day. Make sure they have water to drink and splash in. Nothing deep of course. I used a feed pan.
If you end up putting the chicks and ducks together, make sure the chicks aren't constantly wet. I had 11 ducklings and 5 chicks together for a couple weeks, but I had to change the brooder bedding daily.

 

[Mary Coleman]

Ya I've had geese, ducklings, turkey poults, and chicks together. Talk about a mess!