Duck hatching eggs for first time- I have questions

[BarnDoorClosed]

I have a khaki campbell duck sitting for the first time. She is only 8 months old so this is her first round of babies. She has 8 eggs under her, 7 I know for sure are fertile and have live babies inside. I thought 2 were rotten but come to find out the ba is are alot further along than others. I can tell some of the eggs are quite a bit further ahead than others so my question is......is it normal for ducks to have eggs hatch days apart?? I will be keeping an eye on her to make sure she doesnt abandon the nest before everyone hatches. My second question is should I seperate the males? She has been raised with 3 males and there is one of them that has claimed her as HIS so the other 2 boys don't try to mate her. Will the other males try to kill the babies? I'm thinking I should seperate her and the babies before hatching. The boys guard the door and watch out for her all day while she sits. They are very protective of her, as they should be. This may all seem like common knowledge but this is the first duck I've ever had to hatch her own babies. I've raised 3 groups of ducks from babies but I'm new to the situation at hand. Any advice is very much appreciated!!!

 

[katiebrock]

I don't have any experience with hatching, but I do know from reading on here that you should separate the males. I have also read to wait until the babies are fully feathered to introduce them to the rest of the flock (if you are planning on keeping them). Personally, I have introduced babies very early to the rest of my flock out of convenience, and it has gone well. I usually let them live in a see-no-touch area for the first 2 weeks and then let them out for supervised visits until I feel like everyone is getting along well enough. Then I will move to leaving them together during the day and separating at night, then letting them be all together 24/7.

 

[BarnDoorClosed]

I don't have any experience with hatching, but I do know from reading on here that you should separate the males. I have also read to wait until the babies are fully feathered to introduce them to the rest of the flock (if you are planning on keeping them). Personally, I have introduced babies very early to the rest of my flock out of convenience, and it has gone well. I usually let them live in a see-no-touch area for the first 2 weeks and then let them out for supervised visits until I feel like everyone is getting along well enough. Then I will move to leaving them together during the day and separating at night, then letting them be all together 24/7.

Sounds like a good idea, thanks! I checked on them this afternoon and noticed one of the eggs has cracks at the small end of the egg so I'm hoping it doesnt end up dieing. I may try to out Elmer's glue on it tomorrow when mama goes to eat.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Can you hear it chirping?, If it's hatching, glue will suffocate it.

 

[BarnDoorClosed]

Can you hear it chirping?, If it's hatching, glue will suffocate it.

No chirping

 

[Miss Lydia]

When is hatch date?

 

[BarnDoorClosed]

When is hatch date?

I have no idea. I know the duck has been sitting on the eggs for about a month and when I candle them it looks like the eggs are all different stages of development. I'm just letting her handle them I'm sure she knows more what she is doing than I do. She gets off the neat twice a day to eat and bath then goes right back to the nest and sleeps.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Look forward to ducklings

 

[BarnDoorClosed]

Look forward to ducklings

As of yesterday she has one baby so far! So excited and watching to make sure she doesnt leave the nest until the other 6 hatch!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Congrats!! She should sit tight. Just make sure she an duckling are in a safe enclosure so they are not messed with by anyone. And baby can’t go wandering!!