ducklings on the loose.. help!

[Chickiemom25]

So Jewel's ducklings apparently hatched today. I saw her and the little ones down at the pond ( stock pond). Unfortunately, she has decided to stay at the pond tonight ( as well as one of the drakes and another hen, much to my dismay. this 2nd hen has never slept outside the hoop coop.) I tried to catch the ducklings and failed miserably.. I only managed to get one before she took them all into the water out of reach. I felt bad for the one I had that I let it loose and while paddling out to her, a turtle of something grabbed it and pulled it under. it reemerged and got its head above water and Jewel headed for it. It was sopping wet so I brought it back to the house and put it under a heat lamp to dry then returned it to her.

i got some bales of straw today and put them in the hoop coop for her and the little ones but they have not returned back to the nest or the hoop coop. We are due for severe thunderstorm tomorrow. Should I just trust that she knows what she is doing? These are all muscovies. the other 2 hens and drake were afraid to go in the coop with the straw bales and basically I had to wait till almost dark to get them to go in. none of the other adults seem to have any animosity towards the ducklings.

 

[sannabelle]

Hello! If it were me- when mama and ducklings come back I would pen them up for a few days to a week. Together of course. The ducklings are so small and weak as day olds they could become exhausted from swimming if she keeps them in the pond too long- then they will drown. That's why when you buy or hatch ducklings until they're older they have pretty limited water time. Just my opinion, but I would certainly be concerned for their safety at this point.

 

[CayugaJana]

I personally wouldn't want them to wait out a storm. I'd be pestering them until I got them to the coop. Got any extra hands to help herd them? I like to take sticks with me so I can reach farther.

 

[chickens really]

My friend uses a long net to catch the Mother and to catch the Ducklings they will usually follow Mommas voice to shore...He puts his Duckings into a 5 gallon pail as he catches them..Have her secure pen set up with food and water before you catch her so she can settle down once they are placed in their pen..
Best of luck...I hope it all goes well....

 

[Chickiemom25]

I personally wouldn't want them to wait out a storm. I'd be pestering them until I got them to the coop. Got any extra hands to help herd them? I like to take sticks with me so I can reach farther.

Its pretty big stock pond. and I dont have waders not to mention the snapping turtles. Jewel has been with me over 6 months so she knows the pond well and she is good at taking the chicks to areas where I can not reach them. I may have to go buy a huge net to catch them. but will momma follow them if I do manage to catch them?

 

[chickens really]

Yes..She will follow their cries..

 

[Miss Lydia]

She doesn't need to be in the pond with snapping turtles they will kill and eat every one of her ducklings and she'll not be able to stop them.

I hope you can get them into the pen today.

 

[Chickiemom25]

She doesn't need to be in the pond with snapping turtles they will kill and eat every one of her ducklings and she'll not be able to stop them.

I hope you can get them into the pen today.

no such luck... i did get a head count and so long as I dont try to catch them, they stay near the shore.