Ducklings will hatch soon. What is best once they hatch?

[HeatherFeatherFlock]

Hello,
We have 5 khaki Campbell ducks, 2 males and 3 females. (We are trying to find a new home for a drake so we only have one.) One female went very broody and we found a nest she started, we moved them to the duck house where she has been a great sitter.
Fast forward a few weeks, we have 11 living eggs that will be hatching very soon. They are still with mama. She is still with the flock. The boys even help tuck the eggs in to stay warm when she gets up to eat and keep a cautious eye on me when I check on the eggs.
We want to keep two girls and will sell the rest.
WHAT SHOULD I DO ONCE THEY HATCH? (Mainly asking about the ducklings we will keep. We will absolutely take away ducklings we are selling.)
- Do we let her hatch them then take babies we’re not keeping the same day they hatch and let her raise the two we keep?
- Do we let her raise our two but need to separate her (and ducklings) into own area? Will the drake(s) be dangerous and mean to the ducklings?
- Do we take them ALL away and then introduce the 2 we keep when they’re big enough to be outside.
- We do pine shavings as the bedding, is that okay for ducklings to even hatch on?

 

[PirateGirl]

I would let mama raise any and all ducklings until they go to their new home. Since they hatched with the flock and are being raised by mama hopefully she will protect them and the other ducks wiill respect boundaries, but be prepared to separate her with her brood if things don’t go smoothly. Both duck hens and drakes have potential to seriously injure or kill ducklings that are not their own.

 

[PirateGirl]

Definitely don’t take away the ones you are keeping. Trying to reintroduce them later could be a pain and from the time you take them away until everyone is integrated could be months.

 

[chickens really]

Let her raise them. It's easier to wait till you can sex the Ducklings before you pick two or you will end up with too many Drakes again.