Chicken hatching duck eggs

[VanessaMarshall]

Hi I need some information. I have one male and female Indian Runner ducks and I put 6 eggs under a broody hen. If my calculations are right I may have ducklings next week. They are in her nesting box so not on the ground. I’m worried they’ll fall out when they hatch so I put a rabbit cage on the ground with the eggs in it. She didn’t want to be on the ground she went back to the nesting box and waited. How do I get her to be with her eggs somewhere other than up in the nesting box?

 

[sourland]

Some hens bond more strongly to the nest site than to the eggs. I'd let her continue setting where she is comfortable and then block off the nest box when the eggs pip.

 

[chickens really]

You can lock her in the nest box once the eggs begin hatching and then remove her and babies to a safe Brooder with food and water.

 

[VanessaMarshall]

You can lock her in the nest box once the eggs begin hatching and then remove her and babies to a safe Brooder with food and water.

I’ve never done this before so want to make sure I do this right. The 7 chickens (no rooster) have 1/3 of my barn so would I just make something and put it on the floor? Would she protect the babies from the other chickens or should I remove them altogether from their area?

 

[chickens really]

I’ve never done this before so want to make sure I do this right. The 7 chickens (no rooster) have 1/3 of my barn so would I just make something and put it on the floor? Would she protect the babies from the other chickens or should I remove them altogether from their area?

Well your hatching Ducklings so I'd definitely remove Momma and Ducklings to a totally separate pen while she is raising them.

 

[lomine]

I separate my broodies and babies into a large dog kennel for a couple of days to let them bond. They have their own food and water. After a couple of days I open the kennel door and let mom take the babies out when she is ready. The kennel is in the barn in a separate area from the coop but also has access outside. The broodies take the babies outside when they are ready. I have done the same process with the kennels in the coop before and it worked just fine. I moved them out because they were taking up too much room and it was easier to provide water in the barn away from the adult ducks.

Though there are some broodies I've had that don't take to being moved and I have lost chicks in the process. But they also seem to have trouble bonding to the chicks in general. Some are decent at sitting but not cut out for raising young.

I currently have two broody chicken hens that have several chicks but also a single duckling each. The ducklings follow 'mom' around just like the others. So far I haven't had any trouble with the other chickens or ducks, just some turkeys that are now gone.

 

[VanessaMarshall]

I separate my broodies and babies into a large dog kennel for a couple of days to let them bond. They have their own food and water. After a couple of days I open the kennel door and let mom take the babies out when she is ready. The kennel is in the barn in a separate area from the coop but also has access outside. The broodies take the babies outside when they are ready. I have done the same process with the kennels in the coop before and it worked just fine. I moved them out because they were taking up too much room and it was easier to provide water in the barn away from the adult ducks.

Though there are some broodies I've had that don't take to being moved and I have lost chicks in the process. But they also seem to have trouble bonding to the chicks in general. Some are decent at sitting but not cut out for raising young.

I currently have two broody chicken hens that have several chicks but also a single duckling each. The ducklings follow 'mom' around just like the others. So far I haven't had any trouble with the other chickens or ducks, just some turkeys that are now gone.

Wow it’s more common that I thought! Thank you so much!!