Letting Mamas Raise Ducklings

[Ejmaggz]

I’ve got 3 Magpie Duck hens and 1 drake. 2 of the hens went broody right before I left on vacation. They’ve been sitting on eggs for around 18 days now.

I’ve raised ducks in a brooder but never let a mama raise them.

Lots of questions!
1. Should I take their pool away and just give water deep enough for everyone to clean their bills/nostrils?
2. Is All Flock ok with added brewers yeast?
3. Can I leave all the adults together so or they need to be separated?
4. When can they free range? I have a ditch that the adults like to go in.

Anything I’m missing?

 

[telandra2]

From 3 years of mom experience:
1: As long as the ducklings can get in and out, it should be fine. After all, it's what the wild ones do. Watch the first few times to be sure no one gets stuck. I also use a cheap plastic oil pan, with an escape rock, for the baby drinking water/pool.
2: I feed Purina duck, so no personal experience.
3: Should be fine, but watch things to be sure. My ducklings seem to follow anything that moves at first. Auntie, and sometimes new mom, is scared of the duckling following her, which makes her run, which makes baby charge and peep being even more terrifying.

My drakes haven't been a problem beyond 'stay away' pokes. The flock also seem to poke if they think baby is sickly, so watch any runts.

4: Mine go out with mom. She'll sit a day or two for the majority to hatch then go join the flock. They are also bit wobbly at first but once they get comfortable walking they should be fine with ditch climbing.

Day 27 here! I keep listening for peeping.