Need help with first time mama duck

[CalliBee]

I posted this in the incubating and hatching eggs but didn’t get much of a response.

My anacona became a first time mom yesterday hatching out 3 beautiful baby ducklings.

To keep the babies safe I closed off her part of the run from the rest of the flock a few days prior to hatching. She seemed ok with this. Now that they’ve hatched and barley 24 hours old she is panic mode. Constantly quacking and pacing. I let her out into the run by herself and all she wanted was to go to her flock.
She’s a very good mom and protective and won’t leave their side but she unbelievably stressed being by herself. Is this normal?

 

[sourland]

Fairly normal behavior. I would try letting her take the ducklings to the flock. Monitor closely - especially the behavior of the drake/drakes.

 

[CalliBee]

Fairly normal behavior. I would try letting her take the ducklings to the flock. Monitor closely - especially the behavior of the drake/drakes.

When should I allow this? Currently my flock of chickens and ducks are free ranging and our yard isn’t the best terrain for wobbly little ducks(it’s a very wooded area, lots of sticks, roots, limbs).
Should I wait until the flock come back in for the evening? Tomorrow when they are roughly 48 hrs old and steadier on their feet?
Or should would it be ok to let them free range right now (under supervision of course)

 

[Jenbirdee]

When should I allow this? Currently my flock of chickens and ducks are free ranging and our yard isn’t the best terrain for wobbly little ducks(it’s a very wooded area, lots of sticks, roots, limbs).
Should I wait until the flock come back in for the evening? Tomorrow when they are roughly 48 hrs old and steadier on their feet?
Or should would it be ok to let them free range right now (under supervision of course)

I would wait . The mommy duck needs to go out and eat and drink and bathe herself/ swim, and then she should be returning to her babies.

 

[CalliBee]

I would wait . The mommy duck needs to go out and eat and drink and bathe herself/ swim, and then she should be returning to her babies.

I tried letting just her out but she insisted on the babies to follow her. The way she exits the coop she has to jump out through the window that the babies can’t. All she did was stand outside the window looking in calling them out.
I feel so bad for her she has just been yelling all day!

 

[Jenbirdee]

I tried letting just her out but she insisted on the babies to follow her. The way she exits the coop she has to jump out through the window that the babies can’t. All she did was stand outside the window looking in calling them out.
I feel so bad for her she has just been yelling all day!

Awwww can you make a little temporary fenced area just outside the coop so the mommy can take babies out but not all the way to the part of yard with sticks etc

 

[CalliBee]

Awwww can you make a little temporary fenced area just outside the coop so the mommy can take babies out but not all the way to the part of yard with sticks etc

Just added the babies to the run with her(while the flock is free ranging) still, nothing is making her happy. I think she’s wanting to take them to the creek which is deep in the woods.
I just worry she’ll abandon the babies due to stress. I’m probably over thinking it though.

 

[WhiteTreeOfGondor]

I posted this in the incubating and hatching eggs but didn’t get much of a response.

My anacona became a first time mom yesterday hatching out 3 beautiful baby ducklings.

To keep the babies safe I closed off her part of the run from the rest of the flock a few days prior to hatching. She seemed ok with this. Now that they’ve hatched and barley 24 hours old she is panic mode. Constantly quacking and pacing. I let her out into the run by herself and all she wanted was to go to her flock.
She’s a very good mom and protective and won’t leave their side but she unbelievably stressed being by herself. Is this normal?

My first-time broody duck acted that way also after her 2 ducklings hatched. She kept escaping their run but then staying right next to them and quacking. I let her take the ducklings into the flock with supervision and she walked them all around like she was showing them off, but she wouldn't let any of the other ducks get too close to them. Once I was satisfied that she was doing a good job I let them stay in the flock all day. She was happy after that and the ducklings integrated really well as they grew.

BUT, I didn't have any mature drakes in that flock; it was my young flock. If I did, I probably wouldn't have risked it, and they were all in the yard near the house so they weren't wandering too far.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Can you keep a couple of hens in the run with her and the babies?

 

[CalliBee]

Can you keep a couple of hens in the run with her and the babies?

That’s a good idea! The other hens wouldn’t attack the babies would they?