Help - Two ducks due to hatch babies and I'm a newbie!

[L0rraine]

I've had ducks for less than a year and have a Runner setting on seven eggs and a Magpie on eight. I've candled the eggs off and on for the past few weeks and it appears the eggs are viable. (I've disposed of a few bad ones along the way). I'm guessing Delilah's eggs, the Runner duck, are due to hatch in about four days and Gracie's, the Magpie, about a week later. Delilah's nest is in an indoor dog run (up a ramp) and Gracie's is in a 2 x 4 duck house sitting ever so slightly above ground - both have straw nests.

My questions are, in the event ducklings do eventually hatch:

1) how easy is it for the momma ducks to help them negotiate out of their nests and housing.

2) at what point do I allow them access to water (we currently have kitty litter boxes and a kids wading pool for the adult ducks to drink out of and swim in)? I have a fairly deep trayed chicken waterer - I'm assuming that will work for a starter? What about swimming?

3) will the feed thing work out okay if I put the starter feed in a low tray and provide Moms' feed in a deeper bowl?

and

4) do I need to monitor the hatching process in anyway?

Oh I'm sure there are soooo many more questions, but I'll try to leave it at this.

THANKS in advance FOR ANY THOUGHTS AND ADVICE!!!

p.s. all but one of my ducks was purchased as an adult and they are pretty skittish in my company (though better than they were last fall).

p.p.s. who knew I'd have ducks so anxious to reproduce?

 

[Ducklove334]

Quote:
1.they will follow the momma where ever she goes, and even if they have to climb something, they will try and try and try until they get it.

2. momma will lead the babies to water right after they leave the nest, they'll be playing in, and swimming in anything they can get into.

3. you might want to elivate the adults feed with a concrete block of some sort, and keep the babies on the ground.

4. nope, just wait til hatch day, and the next day or two there should be little balls of fluzz following bigger balls of fluff LOL

 

[farmertank]

Quote:
1: One day soon you will go out there and they will be following mother, don't worry about them getting out of the nest.

2: they will get to water on their own, just make sure they can get out of the water, put a flat stone or something in water they can stand on, this way they won't drown if they get stuck.

3: I would try to keep adult food away from them so they don't fill up on it and not eat their food.

4: you will probably miss the hatching, but it's best to just leave her alone. she'll know what to do.

Good luck and post pics when they come

Julie

 

[L0rraine]

Thanks to 'Ducklove334' and 'Farmer Tank' for helping put my mind at ease!

If all goes well, I will get pics and post them.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

It should all go fine. We have two setting right now, one behind the trash can in the lower part of the barn and one behind some tires in the upper part of the barn (both Rouens). Haven't done a darn thing for them.

One is hatching her young'ns as we speak. Hopefully, I'll get some pics of them on the pond tomorrow.

 

[Ducklove334]

is your runner sitting on her own eggs?

I have a broody runner too! LOL, well two that sorta go half broody,to where they may not set a nest, but they stop laying.

Akai my blue runner is setting on a nest of 5 mallard eggs, she's been setting for about 4-5 days

 

[AhBee01]

I have a chick starter water and feeder for them, I just switch Momma to starter food, a block won't keep them out of nothing for long!
Make sure the babies can't get into any deep water, like a bucket, even it you think they can't possible get in it, they will defy the odds, we had 2 drown last year in the adult bucket they couldn't possibly get in to but they did!
Make sure if the nest is slightly high they have a step to help them back in, soon they will hop pretty high and have not problems.
Our step is 2-3 inches and the 2 day old babies can hop back in with no problems!

 

[L0rraine]

Quote:
I'm guessing they are half hers and have from our other runner. Their eggs originally looked quite different (Delilahs used to be smaller and greener, but I'm assuming it was because she was younger - she'll be a year in July), but these are all pretty similarly large and pale green. The Magpie's eggs are bigger and whiter, though she does appear to have one of the runners' eggs in her mix.

I think I would love it if they would do the half broody thing. We definitely keep them for pets (and entertainment) not egg production. Re 'entertainment': William, our especially tall Runner drake, wandered into the front yard the other day when we had company for dinner and one of the guys exclaimed "Oh my God, there is a bizarre long necked bird out there - does anyone know what it is?!"

I'm hoping to end up with a blue runner when this is over, as Delilah is a black runner (though of questionable heritage) and our other two are Saxonys (and definitely more true to form). But my fear is that, in spite of many sad attempts to keep him separate, our very determined Magpie drake has fathered more than his fair share of the ducklings.

 

[Ducklove334]

I bet they are funny looking, yet very pretty babies!

I have a black white bibbed mallaed x runner duckling, he/ she is very pretty, I got three ducklings back from a teacher I sold eggs to.

I'm hoping it's a girl, it looks almost like a full blooded runner.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

I have a broody runner too!! The eggs have little holes in them and I can hear peeping! I AM SO EXCITED I CAN'T SLEEP! I can't wait till morning when momma will have to run out of the duck house for a break and I can have a look!

Make sure the babies can't get into any deep water, like a bucket, even it you think they can't possible get in it, they will defy the odds, we had 2 drown last year in the adult bucket they couldn't possibly get in to but they did!

So how do you provide water for Mama that's deep enough for her to clean her bill? I was thinking of putting a bucket up on a cinderblock, sounds like a bad idea though.​