We have a mix of runner and cayuga duck eggs under our broody hen, hatching started 3 days earlier than we expected and there are still 4 unhatched, went in this morning to put the ducklings to the water and food as mama hen doesn't seem to want them to leave the nest to find one of the ducklings dead a pretty squashed! Any advice would be much appreciated. She seems extremely protective of the babies and not at all aggressive but am concerned that they will need water and food regularly and she is not budging off the unhatched eggs! So my question is two fold I guess; would the ducklings be safer under a brooder and if I should let her persevere then should I regularly take the ducklings out for food and water until the remainder have hatched?