Duck Help needed!..Mother & hatch-ling info?

[daisybennett]

Duck Help needed!..Mother & hatch-ling info.

our girls were given 7 ducks last year, they are in a large pen with a pond,3 of the females are sitting on nests of about 10-15 eggs each, give or take? will they hatch ok? do i have to incubate? or can i just let them do it? if they hatch do i remove all other ducks from pen? will males attack the hatchlings? soo many questions as we are new to this experience! any info would be terrific help!

 

[pogmobum]

My male mallards never attacked our hatchlings, just gave them space, but that is a lot of broods just make sure they all have enough room not to be on top of each other, and if you have any trouble put up sone small partitions and separate them for a few weeks until they are older

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I keep all males seperate from ducklings for at least 2-3 wks when they are being raised by a broody. It's a pain, lots of juggling bodies, one group here, the other there, etc etc, but I had a drake go after a 2 wk old and injure it... And it was his duckling. I'd never had any problem with that drake previously either.

If you join Miss Lydia's Old Fashioned Broody Duck Thread, you will learn a lot. When the moms do it, you will have very little to do, after ensuring that they have good shelter and food. I won't have ducklings without a broody mom, they're the best!