Hatched today,,I need help,,

[flash5153]

I put some eggs from a neighbors duck under a broody hen awhile back and one is born today.
She is in a nesting box now,, but there are 10 hens and a rooster in the pen with her. Its a coop with a large fenced in area around it.

Can/should I take the chick from her now?????

I dont know what to do. Should I take hen ,along with chick and other egg, and put them in a seperate box with a heat lamp??

I need help ,,NOW!! on what to do.. lol.

Thank you

 

[flash5153]

Well?? Im going to go get the box ready,2ft X 4ft,that I used to raise the chicks when I got them.

I dont know if I should move the hen with the chick though.
I'll check back here in a few minutes.

 

[monathequeen]

Calm Down, Take a deep breath............lol
You say the egg that hatched is a duck ? and what about the other eggs ? are they ducks as well ?
If you have ducklings under a chicken, I would leave the duckling with the Hen for now and watch the hen very carefully...remove the duckling at about 1 week. then you will need to care for the babies... They need the warmth of the hen to stay alive until they are fully dry. I think if you leave the duckling and the hen with the birds, you may have a dead duckling...they will fight over the baby and since it's not a chicken, the Rooster will surley kill the duckling. You need to remove the eggs, Hen and duckling right away and keep them in a quiet, warm area away from the other birds. I think the hen will mother the ducklings and will show them how to eat but you need to take the ducklings away from the hen at about 1 week. Keep the ducklings in a cardboard box with newspaper for the bedding and of course food and water and a heat lamp....have you ever raised ducklings ?? Please answer these questions so I can properly help you ...Thanks, Ray

 

[flash5153]

Yes it is a duckling and there is 1 other duck egg not hatched yet.

No I have never raised ducks. I have a 2 ft X2 ft X 4 ft box that I can put a heat lamp on 1 end for the chicks but if I move the hen with them for now I wont need the heat lamp yet,,right??
I can put them in my garage,,although I just moved that box into the coop.

I dont know wheather to move hen ,egg and duckling to the box in garage or just the duckling? Im going to move the box into the garage right now.

Im thinking about moving only the duckling into box in garage with a heat lamp and leaving hen and egg in the nesting box. Can I take the duckling away at 1 day old???

LOL,,I dont know what to do,,,

 

[flash5153]

Quote:
I still have not moved them. I did block the area of the nesting boxes off so the flock cannot get to them ,,for now.

From what you say I should move them all(hen ,egg and duckling) into the box in my garage. I just hope that the hen will accept the move.
Im still not sure,,but I have a little time for some more input,,lol.
Thank You

 

[flash5153]

I moved them and took a few pictures. Thanks for the help.

 

[monathequeen]

Ok,
So They Are Duck Eggs. Now, As Long As You Can Remove The Hen, Un-hatched Egg And Duckling To A Safe Place Away From The Other Birds. It's Better If You Can Keep Them Close By So The Hen Wont Be Tempted To Leave The Duckling.
Like If There's An Area Inside Or Close To The Coop. Do Not For Any Reason Leave The Hen And Egg And Baby Outside Of The Coop. Predators Will Get To Them In The Night.
The Duckling Needs The Hen Now For Warmth And For Nurturing. The Hen May Even Get Very Upset If You Remove The Duckling So Don't Remove The Baby Yet. Sometimes A Hen Will Mother A Duckling Since It Is Her Clutch She Has Been Protecting And Sitting On. Animals Have A Natural Enstinct To Care For A New Born Animal So Leave Mom Alone For Now. You May Have Another Duckling Hatching Any Moment So Leave Mom To Sit On The Egg And Help The Baby When It Enters The World.
Just Watch Now And Let Things Happen Naturally. The Main Thing Is To Keep The Other Birds Away...and To Have The New "family" Protected. I Raise Chickens And Ducks So I Have Had Some Experience With This Trust Me. I Will Keep Watching Your Post And Advising You Whenever You Need Me. Any Questions, Please Post Them Here. Take It Easy Ok, Things Will Be Alright....ray

 

[monathequeen]

I Just Saw The Pictures...how Adorable. It Looks Like The Hen Is Staying Very Close To The Duckling...very Cool. I Told You It Would Be Ok...where Is The Other Egg ? Under The Hen ?
Keep A Good Eye On The Behavior Of The Hen For A Few Days...make Sure She Is Being A Good Mom And Not Getting Weird With The Baby's....how Beautiful....take More Pic's Please....

 

[flash5153]

Yes the other egg is under her. The pictures are taken in their new home,, a enclosed box in my garage. We moved them together so moma could see the duckling and the egg at all times,as soon as we put them in the new box she nudged them under her and settled right in.
That is when I took the pics,, I will take more soon. The other egg should hatch very soon.

There is more to this story. I had a ISA brown that originaly went broody, we set her on 2 different sets chicken eggs,,which unknown were not fertile. She tried to hatch them for weeks each ,,that is how I know they were not fertile.
Then I found the duck eggs which I was sure were fertile. The neighbors ducks laid them under the pool deck. So I put them under the ISA brown. She sat on them for 2 weeks and I could tell she was becoming,,,non broody and not setting like she was before.
Well this australorpe was starting to become broody just about that same time. So the ISA brown just stopped being broody after sitting on the duck eggs for 2 weeks. So I put them under the Australorpe. She set on them for about 2 weeks and finished hatching these ducklings.
I can tell you,,the Australorpe is taking all the credit. lol. But she seems to be doing well with them.

 

[monathequeen]

You did the right thing...Relocating them so she can have some privacy with her hatchlings...It's so wonderful to have a happy ending to this amazing story.
The Austrolop is doing her job well. Now when the other Duckling hatches, she will care for both for now but you should remove the ducklings at about 7-10 days and raise them alone. They don't need mom at that age and do better just adjusting alone. They know how to eat and drink by then.
Please tell me what kind of food you are feeding the ducklings. And what your water source is in the box...you should be very careful that you don't have a deep dish so the duckling doesn't get into it and drown...