Ducklings are coming!!

[kjkchicks]

I am in need of some advice and wisdom! My pekin duck has been sitting on eggs since just before Christmas (weird time of year, I know, but we let her and didn't collect her eggs because it kept her inside from the cold weather - which made me worry less because she has a hard time drying off from damaged feathers) So now is about the time we should be expecting babies. Or we thought next week at least. I came home from work today and I am sure that I hear peeping coming from underneath her!! She is sitting on them so I can't tell if they are hatched. Do they peep before coming out of the eggs?? We live in British Columbia. In the lower mainland area so our weather isn't especially warm. Will the babies be ok if we keep them outside and let the mom take care of them? She has a small home. It's not insulated very well but it's full of burlap bags and it has a heat lamp so I don't think it's too cold. The water hasn't frozen in there even when temperatures have been minus ten Celsius. Any advice. Please!!

 

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I raise Pekin ducks, as well as other breeds of ducks. I do believe the hen will be able to care for her young, however, depending on the temperatures the eggs were exposed to will dictate the hatch. Pekin eggs take 28 days, give or take a day or three. You may be able to hear peeping from under her while the ducklings are inside the shell. Good luck and I hope all works out well.

Cathy from Harford County, Maryland

 

[kjkchicks]

If I hear peeping before thy are hatched does that mean they will be hatching in the next day or so?

 

[kjkchicks]

Two hatched and two more eggs have holes in them!! I hope they will be warm enough. She is sitting on them

 

[kjkchicks]

Should I get chick starter or will the mom give them her food ground up?? So many questions! I've raised baby ducks on my own but I've never had the mother do it

 

[jdywntr]

They need starter by day 2 and a waterer. I had muscovy ducklings hatch on Dec 5. Mom hatched 13 so there was no way that she was going to be able to keep them all warm long enough for them to feather in. I built a brooder in the coop and installed a heat lamp. They were allowed out after the first week and now can go in or out as they want. Our temps have been as low as the teens overnight and usually about 38F during the day. They will sit outside for most of the day even when its in the high 20's. Yesterday it snowed and everyone stayed in.

I don't know that I'd recommend winter hatching. I have never had so many problems with other hatches. Some of the ducklings are feather eating, I don't know if its because of the cold or what. Three were bloody yesterday since some picked at their blood feathers, they are in the garage and I'm trying to seperate the culprits.

See how many hatch then decide what you are going to do. I am now leaving food out 24/7 even at 6 weeks old. They are feathering in quicker than they would in warm weather and to be able to remain warm, they need more feed.

 

[ZakoHero]

Coooooooooooolllllllllll!!!!!!!!!

 

[Amiga]

Some good advice has been given here already, I would add to watch, watch, watch. Not all duck moms take proper care of the babies. I would be ready to scoop up the ducklings into a brooder at the first sign of the mother duck's inability to keep them safe, warm, and well.

 

[ZakoHero]

Some good advice has been given here already, I would add to watch, watch, watch. Not all duck moms take proper care of the babies. I would be ready to scoop up the ducklings into a brooder at the first sign of the mother duck's inability to keep them safe, warm, and well.

I totally agree with Amiga as she is an amazing duck expert!

 

[kjkchicks]

Thanks everyone! She hatched 4 cuties and we fenced off the area around the duck house so that the drake couldn't get in (he never goes in the house anyway). The mom and the ducklings stayed in the house for a few days but lately they have been going outside and talking to the drake through the fence. They seem desperate to reunite so I think we will take the fence down today for a bit and see how it goes!