First time letting momma try to hatch ducklings.

[newbie duck momma]

Hello,

So my little black swedish decided to go completely broody just over a week ago. I have her, a female blue swedish, a buff duck, 2 female pekins, and what appears to be a saxony drake. I had a pekin drake up until a few days ago but he found a new home with only large ducks due to his constant mating of my Littles and making them paralyzed. Anyways, I'm wondering if ducklings are hatched naturally, do I need to seperate them from the others? Also my little broody lady, who has turned into a raging crab, stile some of the other ducks eggs, and I'm pretty sure she has a few from each breed by the looks of the eggs. I just don't want them to get hurt and have never done this before. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have always kept my broody and after hatch separated from the others including the drake/drakes we just had a member say her drake was being aggressive towards ducklings that just hatched. Best to err on the side of caution.
I make a stall inside my coop for mom and ducklings this keeps everyone together but safe, then when everyone goes out for the day mom and ducklings get the run of the coop for their first week, second week they are let outside but still separate but where everyone can see each other. By 3rd week the ducklings and mama are out with everyone and can better stay away from anyone who might want to be a bully. Mama can only do so much, especially with a drake who might want to harm. These are my Muscovy my other breeds have never shown interest in brooding.
Dog X pens work great for keeping birds separated or scrap lattice you just have to make sure ducklings can't slip through the hole in fencing and lattice.

 

[newbie duck momma]

I have always kept my broody and after hatch separated from the others including the drake/drakes we just had a member say her drake was being aggressive towards ducklings that just hatched. Best to err on the side of caution.
I make a stall inside my coop for mom and ducklings this keeps everyone together but safe, then when everyone goes out for the day mom and ducklings get the run of the coop for their first week, second week they are let outside but still separate but where everyone can see each other. By 3rd week the ducklings and mama are out with everyone and can better stay away from anyone who might want to be a bully. Mama can only do so much, especially with a drake who might want to harm. These are my Muscovy my other breeds have never shown interest in brooding.
Dog X pens work great for keeping birds separated or scrap lattice you just have to make sure ducklings can't slip through the hole in fencing and lattice.

Thank you! I still have my smaller house from when they were littles, and i might move her to that with the ducklings, I just want sure since she is laying on everyone else's eggs as well as hers.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You should mark them so you can take out the ones being laid everyday, I use a marker and put 1-say 8 so I know the originals and take away the others.

 

[newbie duck momma]

You should mark them so you can take out the ones being laid everyday, I use a marker and put 1-say 8 so I know the originals and take away the others.

Thank you! I did and was going to stop at 11, but she chose the same and has stopped taking eggs, although most of the other ducks avoid her as much as possible...she went from sweet quiet independent to raging maniac in the last week or so.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They sure are funny aren't they. lol
I have a Muscovy ducks that I have taken all her eggs and she is still squeaking and coming out looking like a sumo wrestler wanting to kick some butt everyone of the birds give her plenty of room.

 

[newbie duck momma]

They sure are funny aren't they. lol
I have a Muscovy ducks that I have taken all her eggs and she is still squeaking and coming out looking like a sumo wrestler wanting to kick some butt everyone of the birds give her plenty of room.

Do they come out of it after the babies hatch and get bigger or will they always stay this way?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes they go back to their sweet selves until NEXT time

 

[davez]

I wondered about my drake being aggressive towards the babies. He seems to just be interested in showing dominance. Once or twice mama came after him like nothing I have ever seen before. That said, the babies were small enough to leave the pen through the wire to escape the pressure. That wont be an option soon, they are growing. And I have to build them a larger pen in the yard - they are in the garage currently.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are adorable. Congrats!!