Pekin brooded eggs close to hatching. Seeking advice.

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks to all who replied - sorry for taking a while to get back. I left the eggs with mommaduck Wendi. She had 7 originally. There was 1 quitter and 1 didn't make it through the hatch so that leaves 5. They are all 2 weeks old now and doing fine and providing me with plenty of poop for my duckponics system. Thanks again for your help to this nervous first time carer.

Congrats on your ducklings but hey we never believe they actually hatched unless we see proof in the way of pics.

 

[StBob]

Here are some pics hatching, a day old and now 2 weeks old. My how fast they grow.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here are some pics hatching, a day old and now 2 weeks old. My how fast they grow.

Aww they are so adorable, was your Pekin a good mama?

 

[needlessjunk]

Here are some pics hatching, a day old and now 2 weeks old. My how fast they grow.

So very cute!

 

[StBob]

Wendi the momma duck brooded them very well. It was almost impossible to get her off the nest and out for a swim and something to eat in the last week and then after a brief break she would run back to the chicken coop where the nest was to get back in. She would even fly up onto its roof as I once left the roost roof off and she worked out she could get back in that way. The maternal instinct was very strong. I had read that Pekins aren't good brooders but she was very dedicated.

She was very good with the hatching as well and I left her up to it. I took them away the day after they hatched though as too many animals where she had the nest (in the chicken's nest box, the chickens still roosted there while she brooded but laid their eggs in the Quack House)) and she kept knocking over the waterer I put in there. She spent 2 days wandering around continually quacking looking for her babies. She is over it now and back to laying. I have now got her to lay in the Quack House so if she has another brood I will leave them with her and see how she raises them. I did put them on the grass one day and the father, Bob, came up for a look see and then attacked them! Needless to say he no longer has access!