Mother ducks fighting

[Silkiechicken66]

So I had another thread where I talked about my two Muscovy girls trying to for babies but the eggs never hatched. I ended up getting them four day old ducklings from my feed store.

Anyways, everything was fine until this morning. They’ve started attacking each other? The way my two drakes sometimes do in breeding season, chest to chest and grabbing each other’s back feathers.

I’ve had to keep the babies inside and put the mothers outside, cause they kept stepping on them. Could there be a reason for it? They still fight even outside without their babies and nest, so I don’t think it’s jealousy.

 

[PirateGirl]

I'm guessing it's hormones. I've had broody ducks and chickens and birds that have never been in a fight before in their lives will pick a fight. They are temperamental. They want to establish that the best nest is theirs, then that the eggs are theirs, then that the babies are theirs. Every other bird is suddenly competition.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It is not that unusual for broody chicken hens to fight over the chicks. One wants to mother the chicks and tries to run the other off. I suggest you try giving the ducklings to one duck and break the other form being broody. See if that solves the problem,

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Muscovys would never hear of Sharing ducklings. They are fighters. If you can give the ducklings to one mom or split the hatch and the two mamas into separate area that may work. I did it one year with 3 Muscovy mamas and their ducklings and vowed I’d never do it again.

 

[chickens really]

Momma Ducks want to protect their babies and do best in separate housing as the Ducklings grow..

 

[Silkiechicken66]

Unless I bring one mama inside, I can’t separate. And broody/mama poop stinksss so I’m not doing that... I’m breaking their broodiness right now, they keep attacking my chickens when they are laying and steal the egg right out of the hens butt.

Neither mom is willing to ‘care’ for the ducklings at all. I’ve tried bringing in one duck for a day and keep the ducklings outside with the other one, and they just stay broody and kick the ducklings out.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They sure can be nuts.