Returning incubated Muscovy ducks to Mom

[Mmfarm119]

Hello All - I have a question
I am currently incubating about 20 Muscovy duck eggs that are supposed to start hatching today or tomorrow YAY!! I am curious about returning the babies back to their momma. I have 4 drakes and 1 duck (this is why we are hatching more ) and I was wondering if I should try to see if the mom will take them in and take care of them. I have heard that if she is broody, there is potential for her to do so. I have a feeling that she may be becoming broody. Due to my drake-to-duck ratio, do you think returning them to the mom would make the transition to more ducks easier? Do you think returning them to mom would be a smart idea? Thank you for all your help!

 

[SolarDuck]

Hmmm with that many I doubt it would work. If she is broody at the time it might be worth trying but I don't know.

 

[Mmfarm119]

Hmmm with that many I doubt it would work. If she is broody at the time it might be worth trying but I don't know.

Do you think it would be a smart idea to have them bonded with mom when we introduce them to the other drakes? Any other information would be great!

 

[theycallmechickmagnet]

i'd say first separate them and the momma from the drakes. then try to introduce them, but if the drakes start being mean then keep them separated. my muscovy wouldn't take in any babies and just try to eat them, in fact she'd abuse her own. she was always kind of crazy tho (she was raised with chickens but idk if that has anything to do with it) our runner hatched a lot on her own and then took in a larger baby that we hatched from her egg 3 weeks earlier