Internal pip!!!!! Woot woot!!!

[duckielub]

I went to check on my broody Khaki's eggs tonight (I thought they were still a good week away from hatching) and two have internally pipped. I almost stroked I was so excited!

So, I'm going to force myself to leave them alone.

I do have a question though. She has been sitting on 19 eggs (was 24 but I had to throw a few bad ones out). Probably 15 are originally hers and the other five below to my other hen who could care less about sitting on eggs. She lays one randomly in the pen, and Precious goes out and gets it every morning and nudges it back to the nest. I just love her! So, she has several that are very close to hatching and she has a few that are probably only a week old.

What happens when the first one hatches? Where is it going to go? When Precious goes out for her brief periods to swim and walk around, will it follow her, and then go back to the pen when she goes?

I'm sort of in a panic now. I thought I had another week to make an addition to my duck pen for little ones, but evidently I don't. Do most of you take the ducklings out of the nest as soon as they hatch? I almost hate taking her babies. She has been such a good momma. Makes me feel horrible. But I don't want them to get lost (we let ours free range during the day) or stomped by the other ducks.


All advice welcome!!! I have NO IDEA what I'm doing!

 

[pekinsRus]

I have no idea, but I'm curious to find out what others have to say!!!

 

[TinyChickenLady]

Well first I would make sure they are close to the ground so the babies don't fall and get hurt. I would also make sure they are secluded from other ducks for at least a day so the babies won't get pecked. If Momma isn't hurting the babies, I would leave them with her. If she is, take them away. She'll take very good care of them though if she doesn't hurt them. They will go with her if she goes but I don't think she will anytime soon. Good luck!

 

[Baralak]

I agree.. Now momma will become protective of them, but there is nothing better a sight than a momma duck with her ducklings walking through the yard. ALSO if they have a pool, make sure that the little ones can get in and out. We lost one duckling about 2 weeks ago because it couldn't get out of the pool.

I have 15 runners hatching out in my bator right now!!! WOOT!

 

[duckielub]

Thanks for the advice. They are at ground level, so there won't be any falling. I guess I just really need to figure how to keep them separate from the adults for a couple of days. We have a pond but it is basically just a 4-inch puddle (lack of rain and leak in levy) right now with sloping sides, so they should be able to get in and out fine.

I'm overly anxious. For some reason, I have this overwhelming urge to take over for her - like she doesn't know what she's doing!!! Very, very hard to fight it. My husband gets so annoyed, keeps telling me to leave her alone and let her do her job. I guess I'll just have to concentrate on my six in the incubator and leave her alone.

Thanks again guys! Don't know what I would do without BYC buddies!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have to agree ducks have been hatching and raising ducklings alot longer than we have, so she will be fine and how sad if she sat all this time and then had her babies taken from her. Good luck and listen to your DH. I have to practice what I preach lol. I would at least give them some space from the others for about a week till the ducklings get their legs under them, especially the drakes which can kill them. Might just separate the drakes if that would be easier. All the best and keep us updated.