Potential spring plans for ducklings

[kesrchicky16]

I have lots of farm cats. After bumbling through a clutch with a broody chicken, I will be building a chick proof broody run for them. Chicks and mamas in cats out!

My concern about ducklings is the mama's psyche. Chickens are a flock of individuals in a group but Ducks are a group with some individual needs. If I pen up a mama with babies, I fear she will suffer from lack of contact with the group.

My cats all eyed the chicks and I have watched them kill and eat wild doves. My mama chicken was crazy though and only had 1 surviving chick and all but 1 cat has given up on stalking the chick. A few pecks to the head can dissuade most not starving preditors.

So that being said. I know my cats will try to eat the ducklings until the ducks make it clear they aren't easy prey. Also my cats hunt in a group and share larger kills so mama can't watch just 1 cat to defend. I don't want to incubate or care for them myself. If I don't have any broody mama ducks I won't have ducklings.

So if they go broody next spring how do I protect the ducklings and mind the needs of mama to be social?

 

[chickens really]

I keep my Momma Ducks confined to raise her Ducklings and only introduce as I watch over them...Then back into their safe pen....

 

[kesrchicky16]

I keep my Momma Ducks confined to raise her Ducklings and only introduce as I watch over them...Then back into their safe pen....

So no worries about driving mama nuts by locking her in a run next to the duck house and not letting her play unless I'm out with them?

 

[chickens really]

She will be in Momma Duck mode and she will thank you for helping her keep her Ducklings safe....

 

[kesrchicky16]

Awesome. Thanks.