New to forum and new to Ducks!!!

[LisaSettle]

Hi everyone

I have kept chickens for a few years but 6 months ago I was given a trio of Ducks.... Albert, Annie and Alice...

Well my ducks got on very well and I now have my two girls both sharing a huge nest of eggs which they have been incubating together constantly for nearly 4 weeks. They only ever leave for ten minutes at the most and only one at a time. Between them I think there are about 18 eggs!!!!

I decided a few weeks ago I was going to just let nature takes hold and not do anything to disturb the brooding mums to be but this is where my questions come......

Will they be ok being outdoors as their nests are just next to my pond in a corner of garden?

Do I need to get something to keep any ducklings safe or can I just totally let nature happen?


Any help and advice would be appreciated.... I feel like a grandma just waiting and not very prepared......

Thankyou


Lisa

 

[N F C]

Hello, welcome to BYC!

Wow, that is a big pile of possible ducklings you have there. Baby ducks are so cute, hope we get to see a photo when they do hatch.

I've only had chickens, no ducks but if no one comes along here in the New Member section to answer your question, you can post over on the duck forum:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks

Good luck to you, Albert, Annie and Alice! Nice to have you join us.

 

[LisaSettle]

Thanks so much, ive has chickens for a number of years but never done breeding so its all quite exciting!!!; Thanks for the warm welcome x

 

[nj2wv]

Welcome to BYC !!

 

[drumstick diva]

I think the mamas will be very good about teaching their babies about water etc. However ducks are NOT good at protecting young from predators. Canadian Geese are fierce parents and usually most of their goslings reach adulthood. Ducks may have more babies BUT, most are taken by predators early. They need all the help they can get, making it to maturity safely.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[LisaSettle]

That's really good advice thankyou x

 

[NickyKnack]

Hello Lisa!

Welcome to BYC and the coop! There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to joined the BYC family.

 

[LisaSettle]

Hi guys

My mums are still sitting on their eggs and I am awaiting little ducklings however I have just been to check on them and I found a broken egg about a meter away from their nest with obviously a dead small duckling.... Do you think she threw this out because it had died?