Managing ducks while 1 is broody?

[nao57]

Question on broody ducks. This isn't like other questions brought up by others...

What I'm interested to figure out is how do you manage the other ducks that used to be with the duck that is now broody, now that she is broody?

How much do you have to keep them away from her with your own management, versus the ducks own management systems? And what do you suggest on this?

To be fair, I don't have a broody duck yet. But yesterday the one hen was covering the eggs with mud and she sat on them awhile. So I thought I should get ready just in case, because either way this year I was hoping to try to hatch some ducklings anyway and then sell them locally. (I've never shipped. And mostly this is just novelty than expecting any income; it is fun.)

Anyway, how do you make sure the other ducks don't bother a broody duck hen while she's sitting? And what should you do? And wouldn't a lot of the eggs early on in the season be infertile when the cold is still breaking?

 

[lost-duckling]

leave it to the ducks and it should be fine

 

[nao57]

leave it to the ducks and it should be fine

The drake won't go after a broody duck? Or is this separate issue?

Thanks.

 

[lost-duckling]

The drake won't go after a broody duck? Or is this separate issue?

Thanks.

i dont think so the only threat to a broody duck in a safe yard is snakes eating her eggs no drake or chicken or anything else will directly attack a broody duck they are to protective

 

[nao57]

i dont think so the only threat to a broody duck in a safe yard is snakes eating her eggs no drake or chicken or anything else will directly attack a broody duck they are to protective

Thanks very much.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thanks very much.

Make sure you pen her off though as soon as she gets near hatching anything. Mine had only hatched out one when the drake grabbed it and drowned it. She was still sitting on the nest when it happened and baby was under her. Good Luck.

 

[Banana01]

I had to close my pen off at night and open it in the morning. The male would harass the female to where it looked like the eggs were going to be smashed. If possible give her a space that you can maybe close with a brick or something simple she can defend.

 

[nao57]

Make sure you pen her off though as soon as she gets near hatching anything. Mine had only hatched out one when the drake grabbed it and drowned it. She was still sitting on the nest when it happened and baby was under her. Good Luck.

Thanks very much. I still need to do that part, though i still have a couple weeks.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thanks very much. I still need to do that part, though i still have a couple weeks.

You are most welcome and good luck with your hatch. This baby had come out early and I thought I had more time and he was her mate that never left her side. I got fooled. The eggs of hers that I have hatched out though are doing well. My Drake and other Mallards got sold on Saturday so now I have two Rouen hens that are the Mother to the babies I am hatching out by my home made incubator. One looks like a Mallard and the other just like a Rouen. It's so much fun to see them come out and look like their parents. I often had wondered what you would get out of a Drake Mallard and a Rouen Hen and now I know. A mixture of both. Keep us posted as to how your babies come out please.

 

[meyerc06]

Some things to add that I’ve learned:

• If/when she decides to sit, mark the eggs in the nest. Our other ladies would come and lay their eggs in her nest, and/or she would steal the eggs that were laid nearby and add them to the nest. You don’t want to get into a situation where you have lots of eggs due to hatch weeks apart - either she’ll neglect the newly hatched ducklings to keep sitting or she’ll abandon the unhatched eggs in favor of the first ducklings.
• Sometimes drakes will actually start to destroy eggs - just keep an eye on your drake and see how he behaves. Some are great and some are...not so great... at being dads.
• Our girl is terrified of leaving her nest for more than a quick minute, so we put food and water in her little safe area.
• Just make sure your girl is super safe wherever her nest is. Ducks don’t respond well to relocating nests, and they are literally sitting ducks to predators for the month.

Good luck! There’s nothing quite like little webbies!