natural incubation

[duckiedee]

My Apricot call has been sitting on eggs for the past few weeks and are due to hatch anytime now.

I have a few questions that I am hoping someone can help me with.

Firstly - Once they are hatched and (hopefully) all the ducklings survive, should I leave the ducklings with the mum after 24 hours? or should I bring them indoors underneath the brooder?

secondly - If I let them stay with mum what do I do for food for them after the intial 24 hours? I also have 3 other calls that all live in the same house/run and am a little worried that the others may eat all the chick crumbs.

thirdly (but not lastly lol) - I have read that call ducks don't make great mums and often ignore their young. Is this true?

fourthly (Is that a word??) - should i ideally seperate the mum and ducklings from the others??. I don't really have the luxury of seperate runs but could make a temporary brooder/pen out of a box or something.

I apologise for all the silly questions 07 but having just successfully hatched 4 ducklings via an artificial incubator and then straight into a brooder I have no experience in hatching "naturally".

Cheers Angie

 

[Davidd]

Hello, you can leave them with the duck- ideally on their own away from the other ducks- there is no need to take them from her. They will need duck crumbs from hatching- not chick crumbs with contain anti cocci medication. The mother will eat them as well- make sure you have water that is in a shallow container so they can get in and out ok. Hope this helps?
regards, Davidd

 

[duckiedee]

thanks davidd

Just gotta find them a quiet corner away from the others now :roll: