Broody duck

[Angel07]

So we’ve got a broody duck sitting where I want her too. (For the first time she lays in the box made for broodies). This box can be closed up so nothing else can get in. Do I shut the box at day 25-26 as if they were in lockdown so if they hatch the rest of the animals can’t get in? Or should I just wait until they hatch and see what mum duck wants to do?

 

[igorsMistress]

FWIW my duck hatched her eggs in a relatively open space and had the babies out foraging in the big yard with the rest of the flock in a couple days. I let mom decide what to do.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

So we’ve got a broody duck sitting where I want her too. (For the first time she lays in the box made for broodies). This box can be closed up so nothing else can get in. Do I shut the box at day 25-26 as if they were in lockdown so if they hatch the rest of the animals can’t get in? Or should I just wait until they hatch and see what mum duck wants to do?

How big is the box? I honestly wouldn't lock her in as it might stress her out and cause her to trample the eggs/hatching ducklings. The whole "lockdown" thing is a human thing and not something needed to be forced on broody hens. If you want to control the hatch put the eggs in an incubator, but if you want to leave them under the hen make sure she's comfortable, don't stress her out and let her do her thing. For separation purposes maybe some sort of divider or poultry fence outside the box.

 

[Angel07]

The box is massive. I can lay in there with plenty of space. Dad built it for when we had lots of chickens and had multiple broodies at one stage. I don't know how big exactly but pretty big. About 2 metres long and about a metre wide at a guess.