Hi, So we began with her sitting on 8 eggs. Then she threw out 3, now we are up to 15. My count is 12 days she has been sitting, but it could be 9 if the three she chucked are the first (I never thought to number them duh...). I really can't figure out how she got 15 unless she has one of the other two helping... LOL. Anyway, presumably she will hatch at least one or two babies so I'm trying to get prepped. Right now I have three females and one very "active" drake in the same pen. Here's my questions. 1. Do I need separation? 2. Can I leave the babies with mom (mom is a buff by the way)? 3. If babies are kept with her does she feed them or do I need to get non-medicated chick starter? 4. What is the earliest an egg hatches? I know 28+, but do they regularly hatch earlier? Mom is the incubator by the way. Any help would be appreciated. I've raised on batch from 2 days old. This is my first batch the natural way.
You will need to separate...But not necessarily straight away. Watch then and see how things go for now. If your drake tries to mate with the nesting duck- broken eggs may be the result. If things are going ok- You may not need to separate until just before the babies are due to hatch. The other ducks and drake may attack the ducklings- so Its best to give the mother some of her own space in which to raise her babies. You can leave the babies with the mum- but just watch to see how she goes. Some ducks are great sitters...but abandon the babies once they hatch. You will need to provide some food for the babies. More often a hatch is early due to high temperatures in an incubator. When left to nature- things tend to happen at the right time more often. You may hear peeping from day 26 under the mum from a pipped egg - but dont expect to see anything until at least day 27. It does sound like someone is still laying in that nest- It may be a problem come time the first ones hatch- if she has a new duckling due each day- she may not stay on the nest long enough for the last ones to hatch - as she will need to leave the nest to care for the ducklings already hatched./
