Poor Muscovy mama

[Kadjain]

My Muscovy went broody and I put 14 duck eggs under her. The 14 kept dwindling until yesterday when they were hatching and there were only 6 eggs left. Today I checked on them and there were 2 dead ducklings and two unhatched eggs and I don't know what happened to the other 2 eggs.
Anyway my question is - I have 3 ducklings that I hatched from an incubator that are 2 weeks old. Is it too late to put them under her? I know she would be stoked but would the ducklings know that she is supposed to be their mom?

Thanks

 

[NovaAman]

Huh... Well its funny, I put 2- 2week old chicks from an incubator under my silkie, and they KNEW she was their new mama... Maybe she'll be a good mama and take them and they will KNOW she's their new mama.

 

[Kadjain]

Coolness, that gives me hope.
Thanks, I'll try and relay the results later...

 

[Going Quackers]

I'm curious to hear how this works out, i would bet it depends on the hen.. some have a massive drive to be mums and don't care how the babies got there, others?

I'm sorry her young didn't make it, how sad.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd be very cautious, put them under her at night and wait for a while to listen that all is well, at 2 weeks old they may not take to her and vise versa. and she may kill them. If you decide to do this in the daytime be sure you'll be there to watch all is well. At 2 weeks the time for imprinting is pretty much passed.

 

[sourland]

I would be concerned that whatever has been taking her eggs would kill the ducklings. This might very well be the work of a rat, snake or other predator. If you can provide a safe place she would probably accept the ducklings if you follow Miss Lydia's advice.

 

[Kadjain]

She is in the chicken coop where she decided she wanted to brood. I have Shamo and Thai in there so I never worry too much about rats or snakes and we don't have snakes big enough to take duck eggs around here. There were two chickens in other nest boxes brooding at the same time. The chickens have had no problems and one of the clutches had 100% hatch, the other should be hatching any day now. I have been wondering what the heck has been happening to her eggs because I know they haven't all broke under her. I know a few broke under her, one of my older Khaki's lays thin shelled eggs.
I was wondering if the time for imprint for them had passed, but I do think she would still accept them. I will try tonight like Lydia said.

Thanks again

 

[Miss Lydia]

She is in the chicken coop where she decided she wanted to brood. I have Shamo and Thai in there so I never worry too much about rats or snakes and we don't have snakes big enough to take duck eggs around here. There were two chickens in other nest boxes brooding at the same time. The chickens have had no problems and one of the clutches had 100% hatch, the other should be hatching any day now. I have been wondering what the heck has been happening to her eggs because I know they haven't all broke under her. I know a few broke under her, one of my older Khaki's lays thin shelled eggs.
I was wondering if the time for imprint for them had passed, but I do think she would still accept them. I will try tonight like Lydia said.

Thanks again

 

[Kadjain]

Well...12:43 am...She really wanted them and kept trying to put them under her but they weren't hav'n it. They weren't totally freakin out but they didn't know what to think of the situation. I tried to block them in with her for an hour thinking they would snuggle up with her for warmth but when I checked on them they were in the corner away from her. Bummer...

 

[Lute]

I'd give it a bit more time. I recently put two ducklings (2 weeks and 3 weeks old) in with my older Pekin bunch. The laying hen took to the ducklings okay, the ducklings took about two days before they decided they loved her.