CAN SOME1 HELP ME figure this out..

[love_my_ducks_2]

It is the weirds thing that I have even seen.There is a nest of 18 duck eggs out there and the mommy duck just left them 2 weeks agur lil Hen that is bearly 1 pound streched her self out on them and took over...Oh my is this normal!!!!!
Went out today and found 3 new babies and 3 eggs almost open and then there was this one that just was having a hard time..What to doI thought to myself and said I'll give it til this evening if nothing more is happen or more egg cracked then I will help it..So I did left it butt still in the shell and it is making noises and looks to be really struggle..Should I just leave it and wait til morning.I did put a heat lamp over her and the baby ducks,Is this ok!

 

[Goat_Walker]

that is awesome! Id consider helping it but id wait for more replies and views.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

What a neat story. I have a question...is the hen and her nest in a safe, secure place. After all this...how terrible if something would be able to get at her and the hatchlings.

Where do you live? Is it cold there? How close is the heat lamp to the hen?

 

[love_my_ducks_2]

The heat lamp is abour 2 feet from her and the new baby ducks we did put her nesting box up about a foot off the ground and we put her in a corner with 2 sides fenced and the front open with a tin roof..Had made a beautiful box but nobody would go in it...
I guess we thought the duck would stay with these eggs but she didn't so the lil hen just took it over..We might have to place her maybe in a large completly covered pin so nobody get hurt huh! Should we wait til all hatch or shall we get it in the morning..

 

[the Old Rebel]

I don't know if you will see this tonight, but it sounds like to me the heat lamp is too close. Is it just a regular light bulb or is it an infrared heat bulb or what?? You don't want to overheat them either. It is a good idea to keep a thermometer close to them, so you can see what the temperature is. For babies without a mother, it needs to be at 95 for the first week. At least that is what I do. But if that mother hen can keep them warm, you might not need the lamp at all. And the lamp might attract predators.

What is she in the corner of?? I'd HATE for you to lose some or all of them to a predator.

What kind of ducks are they?

How about the little one that seemed to be struggling? Did you help it? Did it get out of its shell? Is the membrane dried down on it??

I hope you will be able to respond back on this soon. I'll be watching for your response.

Good luck to you!!

 

[love_my_ducks_2]

this is the first for us on the duck eggs and the hen taking over..LOL So am learning too.
I didn't think of the light attracting the pedators either so thank you..
The baby is doing well and she or he has dried up and is active..Thank goodness..
I think we are going to put her in a large box like with all sides and a lid..We have a long pallet maybe we can built like a hut where she can see out but nothing can get in..Mom chicken is so happy she has babies,LOL I think we are too..
We have crested mixed duck and some perkins,alot of these guys and gals were rescue and I just feel in love with them..
Thank you for the help and I will keep you posted on the other eggs that 3 more seem to have cracks on them..What do I do about the other 10 eggs do I wait too see if the will hatch too or is there a way to see if they are good or bad..

 

[my1stchicks]

Glad to hear all is good and by the way

 

[love_my_ducks_2]

 

[keeperofthehearth]

By the by, your pic didn't show up.
I hope all is going well with the hatch. It does take a while and as long as momma hen is willing to sit on the rest of the eggs I'd give it the rest of today and check them out tomorrow. I've seen it take 24-48 hours for a hatch esp. with a large clutch. Hoping and praying for the best. What a nice broody hen you have that she would take overthe clutch.