Old fashioned Broody Thread for Ducks

[donnavee]

Hey all,
I have yet another question.. or few...

After how long should I consider all the babes to be done hatching? My ducks are still sitting on about 12 eggs, after 3 hatched yesterday afternoon. I candled one egg and it looked alive, had the veins barely visible and mostly a dark (moving!) blob, with a small air pocket. Should I just wait till moms leave the nest or call it done after two days or something?

Also, I had planned on selling the ducklings (maybe keeping a few though..) but now I am really sad/worried about the affect this might have on the mamas.. Does anyone do this and see their chickens/ducks feeling sad or such - or do they seem to be relieved or oblivious?

Thanks all.

My 2 Calls hatched 17 ducklings between them and I sold most of them when they were only a little over a week old. We did it by locking the Mama in the coop, snatching the little ones and putting them in a tub with a lid - we worked fast as the Mama is really upset hearing the little ones crying - then we let her out with the ones we kept and got out of their fast with the tub so she couldn't hear them. Then we transferred all the little ones to a large tub with food and water until the new owner arrived to pick them up. Neither of the Mama's seemed to notice that some of their babies were gone as we let each keep 3 babies. I'm hoping some of them are girls as I really don't need any more drakes. The person that bought them would have taken all of them but I couldn't bear to take all their little ones away. Besides, I am enjoying watching the whole process.

 

[Going Quackers]

Put on Gloves you can do it, That way liliac will have a duckling too. I know they hurt when they pinch. but it would only take a minute and just think how happy she would be.

I never got that far.... Lilly's babies are hatching left and right.. last count? i think 8! Anyhow, one of lilac's eggs did start to hatch, you threw it out! we thought maybe just an accident but we put it back and my daughter witnessed her throwing it back out.. it is alive... so we gave it to Lilly, thankfully she took it.

There is one egg under Lilac but i may yank it when she leaves.. clearly she is not able to do this. Really starting to wonder if she played a role in rubber ducky's death.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I never got that far.... Lilly's babies are hatching left and right.. last count? i think 8! Anyhow, one of lilac's eggs did start to hatch, you threw it out! we thought maybe just an accident but we put it back and my daughter witnessed her throwing it back out.. it is alive... so we gave it to Lilly, thankfully she took it.

There is one egg under Lilac but i may yank it when she leaves.. clearly she is not able to do this. Really starting to wonder if she played a role in rubber ducky's death.

Oh my goodness now your going to be over run with ducklings. thank goodness you were able yo get the egg form her. Can't wait for pics. Can you believe this is actually happening? wow!!

 

[Sasa]

I have seen a hen who's ducklings were taken away from her while they were still fuzzy and she was a total basket case, it was so sad. My Holly is raising hers and she did start laying and get broody when they were 4 weeks old so maybe that's a good time. I took the eggs away and a week later she did it again so maybe they're ready to part with them about that time.

 

[Wulfandwyn]

Hi everyone! I just noticed this thread today. So far I have muscovys. My hen Keiko hatched 10/10 of her first clutch in March and just hatched another 3/8 muscovy plus 2 mini silver appleyard ducklings. The msa ducklings hatched too early so I had to take them. Keiko abandoned the nest after the three muscovy hatched so I put the other 4 good looking eggs in the incubator and hatched those out on the weekend, sadly one of the four didn't make it. I sold her first three and then decided to try to trick her and give her the three that made it. She was confused because they wouldn't follow her around like her babies had been, but by the end of the day it was all sorted out. My other hen Jadzia has had one clutch hatched out and she had 8/10


Keiko's first clutch


Keiko and the babies



Jadzia's first clutch


The two Mini silver appleyard ducklings and a muscovy duckling that finished hatching in the incubator.

 

[Going Quackers]

Hi everyone! I just noticed this thread today. So far I have muscovys. My hen Keiko hatched 10/10 of her first clutch in March and just hatched another 3/8 muscovy plus 2 mini silver appleyard ducklings. The msa ducklings hatched too early so I had to take them. Keiko abandoned the nest after the three muscovy hatched so I put the other 4 good looking eggs in the incubator and hatched those out on the weekend, sadly one of the four didn't make it. I sold her first three and then decided to try to trick her and give her the three that made it. She was confused because they wouldn't follow her around like her babies had been, but by the end of the day it was all sorted out. My other hen Jadzia has had one clutch hatched out and she had 8/10


Keiko's first clutch


Keiko and the babies



Jadzia's first clutch


The two Mini silver appleyard ducklings and a muscovy duckling that finished hatching in the incubator.

They are all so cute!

 

[Going Quackers]

Well i can update with some pics of Lilly's nest... they are not the best but whatever... I think there is 9, 10? babies well there were last night lol Lot's of coloured birds.. which is good, if they live there better be a girl or two in these!

 

[chooniecat]

ADORABLE pix above! That said I didn't plan on duckling hatchs anyway so my 2 Welsh Harlequin(bred with Pekin drake) are into their "brood" appx. 6 days and they have EATEN(?) most of the eggs(smelled remaining 6 yesterday and they smelled OK). There are 3 eggs left this a.m. and they are covered in goo so won't hold my breath. Just strange they ate the eggs(they HAVE duck feed in w/them) and they also have short pan of h2o and bucket of h2o. I don't plan on "breeding" and was just curious how this would go. and I don't believe they've laid any other eggs since the start of their set.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well i can update with some pics of Lilly's nest... they are not the best but whatever... I think there is 9, 10? babies well there were last night lol Lot's of coloured birds.. which is good, if they live there better be a girl or two in these!

Quackers they are adorable and I know you and your family are happy with the outcome.. Congrats!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are all so cute!

X2!!