Giving a Broody Hen Ducklings

[harmonymw]

I have three hens that have been broody for nearly three weeks and day old ducklings arriving in 2-3 days. I read a whole bunch of threads about trying out combining these two “problems” but I’d like to get some more input.

The hens are a Black Copper Maran, a Cream Legbar, and a Buff Orpington. All have plucked themselves and are setting through the night. Nicki Minaj (BCM) has been at it the longest.

If I decide to give her a chance to be a mama, should I give her a clutch of golf balls when I remove the eggs/before the ducks arrive?

Do I need to attempt to move her and her nest/clutch to a separate brooder? This is probably a deal-breaker. Idk where I’d move her except to a large dog crate. Is that a terrible nursery?

Should things go according to plan and I stick them under her at night, how long do I give her to care for them before I take them back if she isn’t doing a good job?

More questions likely to follow.

 

[harmonymw]

It’s not that big of a deal if I brood them myself. My Pekins are only two weeks old anyway, but my 9 year oldthis morning says to me “don’t you want to give Nicki Minaj a chance to be a mother?”

Although not a question phrasing I imagined I’d be getting from my children, it’s not entirely invalid.

 

[harmonymw]

The other chickens are Lisa Loeb (legbar) and Lady Gaga (Orpington), if that factors into anyone’s decision.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I have a hen with a few ducklings right now. They're two [EDT: three, actually. Lost track of time] weeks old at this point, bigger than their bantam mother, and she's beginning to lose interest because they don't do anything she likes to do (they prefer to go sit in a puddle for a few hours while she scratches and peeps and dustbathes. She tried to share their interests for a bit, but she didn't like puddle sitting, and they were unwilling to compromise.)

Still, she raised them up until they're beginning to get feathers, and she protected them until they were big enough to hold their own in the barnyard, and she seemed to enjoy doing it, so I count it as a win.

EDT2: Also, no need for a brooder (they'd probably slip out the sides of a dog crate, anyway.) If she's any good as a mother at all, it will be fine. Just slip the ducklings under her at night and take the eggs (or golf balls) away before you do it. And if she's a terrible mother, just take them.

She'll probably accidentally shove them around while scratching the dirt, that's normal. They'll learn to stay out of the way. Some mutual pecking is also normal (nothing that looks like it's drawing blood, and no serious pinches, but their grabbing her eyelid and her pecking the fluff on top of their head a little bit is pretty usual.) It's also normal for one to get briefly lost.

 

[harmonymw]

Ah, the joys of motherhood.

I have a hen with a few ducklings right now. They're two [EDT: three, actually. Lost track of time] weeks old at this point, bigger than their bantam mother, and she's beginning to lose interest because they don't do anything she likes to do (they prefer to go sit in a puddle for a few hours while she scratches and peeps and dustbathes. She tried to share their interests for a bit, but she didn't like puddle sitting, and they were unwilling to compromise.)

Still, she raised them up until they're beginning to get feathers, and she protected them until they were big enough to hold their own in the barnyard, and she seemed to enjoy doing it, so I count it as a win.

EDT2: Also, no need for a brooder (they'd probably slip out the sides of a dog crate, anyway.) If she's any good as a mother at all, it will be fine. Just slip the ducklings under her at night and take the eggs (or golf balls) away before you do it. And if she's a terrible mother, just take them.

She'll probably accidentally shove them around while scratching the dirt, that's normal. They'll learn to stay out of the way. Some mutual pecking is also normal (nothing that looks like it's drawing blood, and no serious pinches, but their grabbing her eyelid and her pecking the fluff on top of their head a little bit is pretty usual.) It's also normal for one to get briefly lost.

 

[chickens really]

Hello...I would move her now with the eggs. No golf balls
Get her settled back on the nest and then when Ducklings arrive swap them out for the eggs. Only leave as many eggs as Ducklings coming..Use the Hen that has been Broody the longest too..Never hurts to try it?...

 

[harmonymw]

Hello...I would move her now with the eggs. No golf balls
Get her settled back on the nest and then when Ducklings arrive swap them out for the eggs. Only leave as many eggs as Ducklings coming..Use the Hen that has been Broody the longest too..Never hurts to try it?...

Okay, so should I create a nest box on the floor? Brings me to my next issue. My nest boxes are about a foot off the ground. Food and water are also suspended above the coop floor. Ducklings wouldn’t be able to access it after being mobile from the nest. The dog crate I have for chicken seclusion isn’t an open wire one. It’s a plastic vari kennel type so the ducklings wouldn’t fall out. I can put it inside the coop and try moving her in there today. Should I do that and then put separate food and water inside?

 

[harmonymw]

Or maybe wait on food and water until the babies come?

 

[chickens really]

I actually would set up a Brooder away from the flock..In a garage or garden shed..Make a nest and put her in. Have a top on it so she can't fly out. Provide feed and water too.

 

[harmonymw]

This is the only outdoor brooder I have besides the dog crate inside another structure option. It’s enclosed on the back side but open in the front. It’s also occupied during the day. I could potentially put a hinged door on it, which I’ve been meaning to do. This part of the yard isn’t accessible to the rest of the flock.