wild Muscovy duck soon to hatch

[newbie ducks]

I have no clue about wild ducks I got lots of questions. my wild cookie dough about to hatch in a week or 2 she has 21 eggs I got ???? she is in my front yard corner of my house by my front door. she trust me to a point & I talk to her everyday & I gave her bedding & box & some crackle food & water they are both in shallow bowls. should I leave out the started food when they hatch & water bowl with very shallow water in it? shall I try to move her & her eggs now to my back yard will she follow me into my back yard? or after they hatch will she follow me into my back yard if she will let me pick them up I can make them a pen out back & if she does how long do I wait before I can try to pick them up? or do I just leave them all where they are keep my fingers crossed they will be safe out front? And after they hatch how many days will it take her to walk them across the street to go over to the pond with all the other ducks?

 

[Jenbirdee]

wow lots of questions and i don’t know the answers but i bet @Miss Lydia does . one thing I will say, though is if they’re just in a cardboard box in front of your house, I would expect predators to come along and eat the babies.

 

[Mantisquailman]

I'm no expert but I would say that when they hatch you should put the mom in the in the back yard and the ducklings should follow.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Once the hatch is done she’ll leave the nest with them but with that many eggs, she’s liable to leave before they have all hatched do you have a plan for if that happens? It’s best to wait till eggs are done hatching before moving ducklings and mama. I waited till a few had started then put ducklings and eggs into a towel-lined box and moved them to the small coop I use for mamas and babies get them situated then get mama. You’ll have to make sure she's closed up with them or more than likely she’ll go right back to the front yard nest sight. Since she's feral she may not take to any of this. Mine are domestic and used to being handled. Is there any way to contain her area with fencing so the ducklings would be safe till mama is ready to take them to the pond? With 21 she’s going to lose many I’m afraid predators come in all sizes including snapping turtles heron mink weasels and raccoon just to name a few. So there is never any guarantee she’s going to get to raise them all up. Sad but true. She may stay on the nest for 2-3 days if she is still hatching some will some won’t and will leave eggs that are hatching or stil alive but haven’t started yet. I had a Muscovy who stayed for 3 days till all hers hatched (8).
place water into something the ducklings can drink out of but can’t climb into and drown. Mama gets a taller one so the ducklings can’t get into it

 

[newbie ducks]

Once hatch is done she’ll leave the nest with them but with that many eggs she’s liable to leave before they have all hatched do you have a plan for if that happens? It’s best to wait till eggs are done hatching before moving ducklings and mama. I have waited till a few have started then put ducklings and eggs into a towel lined box moved them to the small coop I use for mamas and babies get them situated them get mama. You’ll have to make sure shes closed up with them or more than likely she’ll go right back to the front yard nest side. Since shes feral she may not take to any of this. Mine are domestic and used to being handled. Is there any way to can contain her area with fencing so the ducklings would be safe till mama is ready to take them to the pond? With 21 she’s going to lose many I’m afraid predators come in all sizes Including snapping turtles heron mink weasel and raccoon just to name a few. So there is never any guarantee she’s going to get to raise them all up. Sad but true. She may stay on the nest for 2-3 days if she is still hatching some will some won’t and will leave eggs that are hatching are stil alive but haven’t started yet. I had a Muscovy who stayed for 3 days till all hers hatched (8).
place water into something the ducklings can drink out of but can’t climb into and drown. Mama gets a taller one so the ducklings can’t get into itView attachment 3762543

unfortunately no way I can make something around them because of my HOA & laws in florida it's illegal to disturb the nest of a wild duck. I to wait until she vacates the nest on her own according to Florida Fish & Wildlife Then I can remove her nesting area, stuff that I gave her & find some way to keep her from coming back again. I guess I have to see how long she stays on her own & let her do her own thing. only thing I have done is made her a safe space I put up some wall art around my walls outside hoping it give it the scare crow effect from the hawks that fly around & the stray cats next door, so far they have not bothered her. I do have 2 huskies they look out the window by her to check on her & bark at things that come up towards her & my one cat he tells the other cats to stay away from her through the window & always checking on her. they all think she like family now & they need to help protect her. heaven help anything that hurts her & her babies. =) I teach all my animal's 2be nice 2 other animals'. I gave her a cut out 30 Gallon plastic storage box & shredded pine bedding & make her as comfortable best I can & we talk to her every day. cookie dough trust me up to a point she will allow me to put my hand in her box to give her more pine bedding & when she in a mood I tell her its okay & I'm just giving her more food & water then she settle down a bit. sometimes she will eat the crackle mixed corn food & drink water. yesterday another duck came over to visit we call her paula she a little bit friendly. my cookie dough just turned her head in her box & sat it down on her back area as she watched her & then paula ate a little of her food & stuck her head a little bit inside her box & sampled the pine bedding to see what it was & then she left.
my guess is paula came over to check on cookie dough.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like you have done all you can now. \Will she be able to get them across the street without worry of cars trucks etc? Please keep us updated on how it all goes.
I was born and raised in North Fla and never even saw a Muscovy until we moved to NC and I met them in our mountain river.

 

[newbie ducks]

Sounds like you have done all you can now. \Will she be able to get them across the street without worry of cars trucks etc? Please keep us updated on how it all goes.
I was born and raised in North Fla and never even saw a Muscovy until we moved to NC and I met them in our mountain river.

will do & I'm in jacksonville area. they are pretty cool ducks & very smart too.

 

[newbie ducks]

this is cookie dough today I think she was hot from the sun. we had a nice chat today lol.
and cookie dough & xbox used to sit up on my roof before she had the rest of her babies her under belly pretty cool looking looks like she has a squirl on it. they would walk along side of us when I took my grandson to school follow us to the car & then leave. And this is paula she has more white on her head area. and this is the rest of the family, big oreo i think he the daddy duck talks a lot to the ladies & has a deep voice. and oreo jr, xbox. they sometimes will come over to visit. the neighborhood kids use to feed them all down at the pond gave them all names. at least they not to bad being around humans long as you keep your distance & not touch them. they will come up to you if you have food. I been over to the pond to introduce myself to everyone & gave them some food figured I let them know mama was in good hands with us. its pretty cool there's other ducks & geese & wild turkeys across the pond.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I lived in the west side of Jax. went to Ramona ele. I have a few pictures of when my dad took me to a park when I was around 2 yrs old and in the pond are Muscovy but I never met one anywhere else but we mostly went to the beach.
I started out with these muscovy I met in the river they really are a great breed of duck.

 

[newbie ducks]

I lived in the west side of Jax. went to Ramona ele. I have a few pictures of when my dad took me to a park when I was around 2 yrs old and in the pond are Muscovy but I never met one anywhere else but we mostly went to the beach.
I started out with these muscovy I met in the river they really are a great breed of duck.

way cool small world. yes they are very cool ducks. and very smart they seem to know what I'm saying to them & I'm learning their language by how they act or wink at me when when I say something she likes. and when she don't like something she look at me like really yah no or open her mouth slightly.