Hen hatched/raised ducklings not surviving

[kirajarosz]

We have 4 Muscovy hens and 3 drakes (too many, we know, trying to find homes). Our hens are hatching ducklings what seems like every other day. The first hen hatched 4 ducklings and day by day we watched them disappear until there were none left. The next hen hatched 8 ducklings, same story. I would find ducklings left behind where the hen sleeps, dead or near dead of cold. Earlier tonight she had 2 left and they were sitting underneath her. An hour later, I found both ducklings in the entry to our barn, one dead and one near dead, with the mom (and other ducks) right nearby. The third hen showed up with 7 ducklings today and within a few hours was down to 5. I caught them and her and put them in a brooder inside. My question is: is this mortality rate normal? It seems like the hens are either abandoning the ducklings or the ducklings aren't keeping up with the hens. Could the other ducks somehow be interfering?

We don't have predators as we have a very effective and amazing LGD and the hens are all staying in the main barnyard area.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

We have 4 Muscovy hens and 3 drakes (too many, we know, trying to find homes). Our hens are hatching ducklings what seems like every other day. The first hen hatched 4 ducklings and day by day we watched them disappear until there were none left. The next hen hatched 8 ducklings, same story. I would find ducklings left behind where the hen sleeps, dead or near dead of cold. Earlier tonight she had 2 left and they were sitting underneath her. An hour later, I found both ducklings in the entry to our barn, one dead and one near dead, with the mom (and other ducks) right nearby. The third hen showed up with 7 ducklings today and within a few hours was down to 5. I caught them and her and put them in a brooder inside. My question is: is this mortality rate normal? It seems like the hens are either abandoning the ducklings or the ducklings aren't keeping up with the hens. Could the other ducks somehow be interfering?

We don't have predators as we have a very effective and amazing LGD and the hens are all staying in the main barnyard area.

Do the drake s have access to the ducklings? They can sometimes be aggressive to the babies.
Sorry this is happening to your ling s

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Even if the drake s aren't hurting the babies it could be possible they are running the hens around trying to mount them and preventing them from doing their mommy thing. ?

 

[CayugaJana]

X2
Keep the drakes away from the Mommas and ducklings. They will/can kill them. And no that is not normal. The drakes are killing them or like @shawluvsbirds said they are getting trampled when the Mommas are defending them.

 

[nayeli]

You have too many drakes, and they can hurt your hens as well as the ducklings. I agree with the other posters that the drakes are probably the problem.

 

[chickens really]

What seams to be happening is Mommas get stressed and they get trampled as she tries to protect them....No, not normal mortality rate if you separate?.....New Ducklings need a calm momma...