My ducks hatched an egg! What now?

[Knuckleballer25]

Hi there! I’ve had my flock for two years and this is the first time I’ve had any ducks sit on a nest. It was one at first but there were so many eggs now there’s a second and they both sit on all of the eggs together. I just walked to the barn to check on them and there’s one baby duckling. It’s alive and made all kinds of sounds when the females walked away for just a minute. The weather here is 64 with a low of 40 and That will continue throughout the week.

I separated the whole flock from the two female ducks and their nest with the one duckling. What do I do next? Do I need to take the duckling and put it in a brooder? Is it too cold to let the mother ducks take care of it? Their nest is right in front of the door to go out to their enclosed pen. I can shut the door at night.

Help!

 

[HalfWayUpAMountain]

Hi there and congrats ! What breeds have you got as some are much better parents than others ........

 

[Flockincrazy]

Hi there! I’ve had my flock for two years and this is the first time I’ve had any ducks sit on a nest. It was one at first but there were so many eggs now there’s a second and they both sit on all of the eggs together. I just walked to the barn to check on them and there’s one baby duckling. It’s alive and made all kinds of sounds when the females walked away for just a minute. The weather here is 64 with a low of 40 and That will continue throughout the week.

I separated the whole flock from the two female ducks and their nest with the one duckling. What do I do next? Do I need to take the duckling and put it in a brooder? Is it too cold to let the mother ducks take care of it? Their nest is right in front of the door to go out to their enclosed pen. I can shut the door at night.

Help!

They will care for it but i would close the door at night

 

[Knuckleballer25]

The duckling looks like a Cayuga but the two females are welsh harlequins.

 

[Knuckleballer25]

They will care for it but i would close the door at night

should I put food and water inside the barn with the duckling and the females? Currently the food and water is on the other end of their enclosed pen.

 

[Flockincrazy]

should I put food and water inside the barn with the duckling and the females? Currently the food and water is on the other end of their enclosed pen.

I would make sure they have a closer food/water source and if you have crumbles good if not I would make it crumbles for the duckling so it doesn't choak