Crap! My ducks are expecting
I had an ankle injury a few weeks ago and have relied on my family to care for the chickens and ducks. Last night my son said the duck hen was breathing funny for 3 days. I went out and realized she was broody. I didn’t want babies as u won’t know sexes until later. I went out this morning to dispose of the eggs. I cracked one open and there was a skinny slimy 2” long baby inside I put a flashlight up to the other 11, thinking we will have 10! They are free range during light hours. They r in a 10’x10’ coop. It has an attached 10’x10’ pen that was damaged and isn’t raccoon proof anymore. The rooster, 5 hens and a drake are mama ducks coop mates. Do I feed her anything special? I’ll be separating the drake from her via a pen in coop that will open up to outside pen (once repaired). I have chicken wire on the bottom of the pen to keep them inside the chain link when outside during day. They will sleep inside the coop in their pen until 8 weeks or so until I can introduce them to the Pekin drake?? One of my bigger concerns is that it will be dipping into 30’s-40’s soon. Is mama enough, she’s a white layer duck? My neighbor said I could borrow her Brisnea chick heater if I need it. Do I need to use something other than straw in the coop?
I had an ankle injury a few weeks ago and have relied on my family to care for the chickens and ducks. Last night my son said the duck hen was breathing funny for 3 days. I went out and realized she was broody. I didn’t want babies as u won’t know sexes until later. I went out this morning to dispose of the eggs. I cracked one open and there was a skinny slimy 2” long baby inside I put a flashlight up to the other 11, thinking we will have 10! They are free range during light hours. They r in a 10’x10’ coop. It has an attached 10’x10’ pen that was damaged and isn’t raccoon proof anymore. The rooster, 5 hens and a drake are mama ducks coop mates. Do I feed her anything special? I’ll be separating the drake from her via a pen in coop that will open up to outside pen (once repaired). I have chicken wire on the bottom of the pen to keep them inside the chain link when outside during day. They will sleep inside the coop in their pen until 8 weeks or so until I can introduce them to the Pekin drake?? One of my bigger concerns is that it will be dipping into 30’s-40’s soon. Is mama enough, she’s a white layer duck? My neighbor said I could borrow her Brisnea chick heater if I need it. Do I need to use something other than straw in the coop?
