The Broody Duck Thread for 2014

[lbrykowski2011]

9 Runner ducklings (mostly I think)
Parents: female Blue Runner + White Runner Drake or Blue Runner Drake or KC/Rouen Drake.
5 are 9 days old and 4 were hatched 2 days ago. The yellow one in the front, Raggedy Ann, is the smallest. She runs with the others but spends a bit more time on her back flailing her feet in the air - can't quite make it up some of the bigger hills the other ducklings climb. The 5 older ones are leaving today = less competition for food & water. What a difference a week makes!

They grow soooo fast

 

[lbrykowski2011]

1st swim today

Mom hogging the pool



And our proud daddy who can't get to the babies, but stands outside the run still protecting them. Chases me in and out every time i change their food and water. lol Gets a good hold of my pant leg and does not like to let go. What a good daddy!!

When would be a safe time to let daddy in or the babies out? We have a pond also, as he's standing in it, when is it safe for them to go out to the pond?

 

[Miss Lydia]

1st swim today

Mom hogging the pool



And our proud daddy who can't get to the babies, but stands outside the run still protecting them. Chases me in and out every time i change their food and water. lol Gets a good hold of my pant leg and does not like to let go. What a good daddy!!

When would be a safe time to let daddy in or the babies out? We have a pond also, as he's standing in it, when is it safe for them to go out to the pond?

I like to wait a good 3 weeks before letting ducklings be around the drakes they are stronger[the ducklings] and can get out of the way better. as for the pond I wait till then too, and you said no snappers right? they love to eat ducklings. Their adorable. Looks like Mom is doing a good job.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe this is the right place to ask this, Duckie has decided it's time to sit. She is sitting on one infertile egg, or, possibly, nothing at all. She spent some time in there yesterday feathering the nest, and isn't getting up at all today.

I have 12 ducklings I picked up that hatched sunday, so they are 3 days old. Would it be too soon to try and stick a couple under her? My other option is to get a couple eggs and let her hatch chickens. This is her first time going broody, she's a little over 11 months old.

She was nesting under my porch last month, but we messed that one up and she left it pretty easily. This time, she is in her house, in the nest box. Which is a great spot, and I don't want to make her not want to use it in the future.

I really don't think if she's just gone broody she'd take to the ducklings. But she'd hatch out chicks in a heart beat, only problem with that is making sure she can't take them into water because they would follow her in and drown.

 

[Wolflady2223]

After waiting and waiting and being a nervous wreck the ducklings are HATCHING We'll see how many Indian Runners out of the 16 eggs I get

 

[Miss Lydia]

After waiting and waiting and being a nervous wreck the ducklings are HATCHING We'll see how many Indian Runners out of the 16 eggs I get

Exciting! keep us updated.

 

[Wolflady2223]

4 as of this morning and more coming

 

[smonkeySK]

They're beautiful

Here's the 2 my mallard hatched last week

 

[Miss Lydia]

They're beautiful

Here's the 2 my mallard hatched last week

 

[Miss Lydia]

4 as of this morning and more coming

Exciting and adorable. Congrats!