new mom seems to want to abandon babies

[jdywntr]

My muscovy just hatched her ducklings yesterday. This morning, she was pacing back and forth in their area of the duck run virtually trampling the babies. I closed up the run and opened one side of her area. She is now roaming the run and the babies are trying to keep up. I worry that they will chill because it is a little cool for them this morning 70 degrees. She is not sitting keeping them warm. She is somewhat protective of the babies but just peeps at me if I pick them up. I previously had a runner who hatched some babies and she was vicious.

I went ahead and set up a brooder for them just in case. I have only had ducklings one other time. Is this normal for muscovy? I know that some ducks are bad moms I at least want to give her a chance.

Any ideas/opinions appreciated. Thanks

 

[Going Quackers]

Yikes.. i'll be watching this thread, as i have a hen sitting on a nest at this very second.. gosh, i hope she's a good mum.. i don't want to be mum to a bunch of Muscovy lol

I have understood the breed to be good mums on the whole.. of coarse there is always the exception. I hope you get some answers.

 

[jdywntr]

Well, she seems to be doing better. Still not sitting but she is staying near them. I put a heat lamp in the end of the area that they are in and the babies are now sleeping under it and mom is standing by.

 

[Oregon Blues]

You are in Florida. How cold can it be?

I haven't had ducklings with their mother, but the goslings are out and about nearly non-stop, and it is cold here in the spring. They are generally only under the mother at night and when it is raining hard. If they feel cold, they will go to the mother for a quick warm up, but that rarely happens.

I've seen wild hatches of ducks and they are rarely under the mother.

 

[jdywntr]

Okay oregon blues.

I know it is not nearly as cold here. I guess I'm just a worry wart. I only worry because I know in the brooder they should stay in the 90's at first.

 

[cukooformarans]

Guess I am going to go against the grain here. I had a momma muscovy do the same thing with two different batches. The first batch (15 or 20 babies, I don't remember exactly) all died. When I realized she was doing it with the second I put her in a small pen with them and they did fine but she had already lost my favorite one. This duck was 3 years old with the second batch, so I do not believe it was a maturity problem. If you see the signs early, I definitely recommend a small enclosure. I have another Momma duck which has done fine. She has 19 and is raising them in the open and doing well. I think it depends on the duck, but if you are seeing signs that she is less than fully attentive this early I would take precautions.

 

[EmAbTo48]

Keep the brooder going sounds like a not so good mom honestly. It happens with ducks and chicks. You have to remember these are domesticated ducks they do not have the same extinct a wild duck as for being a good mother. They have been given everything so in return its like saying "well hey you can watch them right? "

Just keep an eye on them if they have a heat lamp food/water they should be fine even if moms not doing her duties correctly!

 

[jdywntr]

Ok, I jumped the gun on assuming my hen was going to leave her babies. Today she is much more protective, not attacking but puffing up and huffing trying to scare me away from her babies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok, I jumped the gun on assuming my hen was going to leave her babies. Today she is much more protective, not attacking but puffing up and huffing trying to scare me away from her babies.

How is everything going today? I'm getting a little nervous since my turn is coming up on the 22nd.

 

[jdywntr]

Everything is good. All 11 are doing well. Eating since day one. Mom may have wanted to go for a swim that first day, she ended up in the large waterer but has been fine ever since.