*UPDATE PICS*Should I keep the mother and her hatch-lings in the coop?

ducks_rcool329

Songster
8 Years
Apr 17, 2011
260
7
113
Black Forest, Colorado
So right now I have 2 females ( 1 mallard, and 1 medium weight mix) sitting on 2 separate nests ( though they are right next to each other)
Anyways....
I'm expecting Edgar's ( the mix) eggs to be hatching soon, I have candled them and I can see a fully developed ducklings moving around, no chirps yet. When they hatch, should I remove them and the 2 mothers down to a brooder? It's still staying fairly warm here, mid to upper 70's has been the average, and its doesn't drop down below 60ish during the night. If not, should I put up and x-pen in the coop so that they are separated from the rest of flock? ( I leave the coop door open during the day so they can run around in their fenced in yard).
I have hatched dozens of ducklings in incubators over the years, but never from a broody. Thanks!
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UPDATE
They are hatching!
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all of them have pips, and one is almost all the way out
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. I divided the copp in 1/2 with an x-pen for the momas and their ducklings, with a separate feeder, and waterier. I will post pics when they are all hatched out
 
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You can run into problems if they are in there but you may not. You could have problems from the other broody or from the other ducks. I have read that many just leave mom and babies with the flock with no issues others, have had babies killed by adults. Ducklings in the brooder need high temps as I'm sure you are aware. Being under the mom, I would think that she would be able to take care of them temperature wise as I would not think that she would have gone broody if weather was a factor.

I'm in FL so don't have to worry about the temp. Hopefully someone with cold weather experience will respond.
 
UPDATE
They are hatching!
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smile.png
all of them have pips, and one is almost all the way out
smile.png
. I divided the copp in 1/2 with an x-pen for the momas and their ducklings, with a separate feeder, and waterier. I will post pics when they are all hatched out
 
Quote:
They are getting along..... I think, she is just kinda sitting ontop of billy ( I have named him billy...). She hasnt been mean at all, she is super protective, While I was taking the picture, she was trying to kill my leg.
 
Quote:
They are getting along..... I think, she is just kinda sitting ontop of billy ( I have named him billy...). She hasnt been mean at all, she is super protective, While I was taking the picture, she was trying to kill my leg.

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