Momma ducks keep killing her babies

[MBR]

We have 2 mommas nesting in our front yard they had somewhere over 20 eggs between them. The babies started to hatch one at a time 2 days ago, and everytime one hatches the mommas both attack them violently. They ripped ones wing off and it died. 3 others we manged to scoop up. We hear the commotion and go to check they will have the newly hatched baby out in the yard both going at it violently. Any idea why this is happening?

 

[Kiki]

No no idea why she would be killing the babies.
Is there a way you can separate the babies?

 

[casportpony]

Sorry for your loss and welcome to BYC. Every now and then I get a hen that kills their babies. Are these first-time broodies?

 

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC.

Some hens simply aren't good mothers. Remove all the babies. If you have an incubator I'd move all the eggs as well.

 

[MBR]

No no idea why she would be killing the babies.
Is there a way you can separate the babies?

The rest have not hatched yet. We've just been keeping an eye from a distance so we don't stress them out. The 3 that hatched we brought in and seem to be doing ok. The one we didn't get to soon enough was too badly injured and died.

 

[MBR]

Welcome to BYC.

Some hens simply aren't good mothers. Remove all the babies. If you have an incubator I'd move all the eggs as well.

I don't have an incubator, so I've just been keeping an eye out from a distance, if we hear them start squawing we will go check and if they are after a new baby we scoop it up and bring it in.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had a Muscovy kill one duckling and was in the process of attacking the other one when I walked in on her. Needless to say he became my baby. I agree some ducks just aren’t good mamas. Maybe it has something to do with it being two females? my Muscovy have never shared a nest they always like to have their own privacy when broody.

 

[MBR]

I had a Muscovy kill one duckling and was in the process of attacking the other one when I walked in on her. Needless to say he became my baby. I agree some ducks just aren’t good mamas. Maybe it has something to do with it being two females? my Muscovy have never shared a nest they always like to have their own privacy when broody.

I was afraid of that, maybe they were stressing each other out. I doyn know why they chose to nest together

 

[Miss Lydia]

It is just hard to figure some things out. But at least your aware and can intervene.

 

[Mademoiselle_JubJub]

We have 2 mommas nesting in our front yard they had somewhere over 20 eggs between them. The babies started to hatch one at a time 2 days ago, and everytime one hatches the mommas both attack them violently. They ripped ones wing off and it died. 3 others we manged to scoop up. We hear the commotion and go to check they will have the newly hatched baby out in the yard both going at it violently. Any idea why this is happening?

Are they Muscovy ducks?