Can I give my broody duck ducklings?

[chickens really]

Maybe they are older than I thought! I should call the feed store and ask what day they got them in perhaps or I can take a photo with something for scale and have BYCers guess the age. Hmm...

They look about 10 days old..They are not newly hatched.
Imagine how big that egg would of been ?...

 

[PirateGirl]

Hmm... IF they are even a week older than I thought, this is good news, it means they can go outside sooner!

 

[chickens really]

Hmm... IF they are even a week older than I thought, this is good news, it means they can go outside sooner!

 

[PirateGirl]

I got them on a Thursday and assumed they had been hatched/shipped at the beginning of the week and were just a couple days old, but maybe they were hatched the previous week.

 

[chickens really]

I got them on a Thursday and assumed they had been hatched/shipped at the beginning of the week and were just a couple days old, but maybe they were hatched the previous week.

Not maybe...Definitely they are older...

 

[Clucksworth12]

With my experience of bloody hens, whether ducks or chickens, they vary greatly in ways they brood and how they respond to chicks. But the best way to go about it is this: Let her keep her eggs a few days, to get attached and know they are going to hatch. Then one might slip the babies under her. Moniter her very close the next day. I would suggest then putting the eggs in an incubator or throwing them away, since she may neglect the babies to sit on the eggs.

 

[PirateGirl]

With my experience of bloody hens, whether ducks or chickens, they vary greatly in ways they brood and how they respond to chicks. But the best way to go about it is this: Let her keep her eggs a few days, to get attached and know they are going to hatch. Then one might slip the babies under her. Moniter her very close the next day. I would suggest then putting the eggs in an incubator or throwing them away, since she may neglect the babies to sit on the eggs.

Thanks!
I have a feeling at this point it's abandon ship and keep raising the littles in the house with field trips until they feather out, one of them seems to have sprouted some tail feathers overnight. It's cold (below freezing every night still) and my coop doesn't have electric, so they are in a guest bedroom. I also have a feeling I will have about 2 dozen eggs to dispose of Part of me wants to abandon the attempts today so we can get back to the regular egg production/collection routine ASAP and do a thorough coop clean out. I'm secretly hoping one of the other (nicer) girls goes full on broody instead and will hatch the clutch, but my current broody is just angry all the time and not setting on the eggs enough and not nice enough to the babies and doesn't know what the heck she is doing, but she is not doing a good job of anything except trying to chase me off daily.

 

[Clucksworth12]

I would really recommed keeping them inside then if it is that cold! Good luck wherever you decide!

Thanks!
I have a feeling at this point it's abandon ship and keep raising the littles in the house with field trips until they feather out, one of them seems to have sprouted some tail feathers overnight. It's cold (below freezing every night still) and my coop doesn't have electric, so they are in a guest bedroom. I also have a feeling I will have about 2 dozen eggs to dispose of Part of me wants to abandon the attempts today so we can get back to the regular egg production/collection routine ASAP and do a thorough coop clean out. I'm secretly hoping one of the other (nicer) girls goes full on broody instead and will hatch the clutch, but my current broody is just angry all the time and not setting on the eggs enough and not nice enough to the babies and doesn't know what the heck she is doing, but she is not doing a good job of anything except trying to chase me off daily.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ok. Here is a pic of one of the littles today next to a gallon jug for size comparison. She is a khaki Campbell. Best guess on age? (This makes it obvious to me how fast they grow!)

 

[room onthebroom]

So cute!!! They do grow fast. Based on my Blue Swede I would guess at least 2wks maybe 3.