Ok, I have some questions please, if anyone with experience can answer them for me. I am very new at this hatching baby ducks stuff. I have never had anything hatch before...
I have a first time mama muscovy hatching eggs as we speak. She is up under a hutch, where we cannot get to her, but my husband rigged up a camera so we can watch all that goes on, and that she will let us see. So far, she has one baby that has just hatched that we can tell, out of 13 eggs.
My questions are:
Will she stay on the nest until all eggs are hatched before coming out for food/water now that one has hatched?
When she does leave the nest, will the babies follow her, or will she tell them to stay there?
I know the babies can drown if the water pan is too deep. Right now, the water pan is a under bed type tote, approx. 6 inches high for Cocoa and fairly long. I bought a paint tray for the babies for water, where it is slanted on one end, and about 2 inches deep on other. Is this a good idea for a water dish for them? I also have a gallon chick waterer I could use instead and put marbles in it. Which is better?
I have unmedicated chick feed to put out for them. That is what Sunny is eating too (2 1/2 week old pekin baby in the brooder in the house). Is it ok for Cocoa to eat this too? Or do I still put her layer pellets mixed with corn and grains out for her? I worry the babies may choke on it it they try to eat it.
How long before she brings them off the nest? I think it is three days, is this right?
We are going to finish predator prooingf her pen including aerial predators We already removed her mate, the drake, this afternoon so he cannot hurt the babies. Is there anything else we should do? I know she is instinctively going to know what to do with the babies and take care of them, but what can or should we do to help?
Any pointers? This is the first time we have ever had a hatch and the first time for babies this young.
Also, the mosquitos are horrible here. Will they kill the babies if they suck too much blood from them? Anything we can do to keep them off the little ones?
Thanks!
Kathy
Merritt Island, FL
I have a first time mama muscovy hatching eggs as we speak. She is up under a hutch, where we cannot get to her, but my husband rigged up a camera so we can watch all that goes on, and that she will let us see. So far, she has one baby that has just hatched that we can tell, out of 13 eggs.
My questions are:
Will she stay on the nest until all eggs are hatched before coming out for food/water now that one has hatched?
When she does leave the nest, will the babies follow her, or will she tell them to stay there?
I know the babies can drown if the water pan is too deep. Right now, the water pan is a under bed type tote, approx. 6 inches high for Cocoa and fairly long. I bought a paint tray for the babies for water, where it is slanted on one end, and about 2 inches deep on other. Is this a good idea for a water dish for them? I also have a gallon chick waterer I could use instead and put marbles in it. Which is better?
I have unmedicated chick feed to put out for them. That is what Sunny is eating too (2 1/2 week old pekin baby in the brooder in the house). Is it ok for Cocoa to eat this too? Or do I still put her layer pellets mixed with corn and grains out for her? I worry the babies may choke on it it they try to eat it.
How long before she brings them off the nest? I think it is three days, is this right?
We are going to finish predator prooingf her pen including aerial predators We already removed her mate, the drake, this afternoon so he cannot hurt the babies. Is there anything else we should do? I know she is instinctively going to know what to do with the babies and take care of them, but what can or should we do to help?
Any pointers? This is the first time we have ever had a hatch and the first time for babies this young.
Also, the mosquitos are horrible here. Will they kill the babies if they suck too much blood from them? Anything we can do to keep them off the little ones?
Thanks!
Kathy
Merritt Island, FL
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