# How to care for ducklings hatched by my broody duck?



## EmilyClick28 (Jun 14, 2016)

hi my broody duck hen was sitting on her eggs and she hatched 6 of them! i've had ducklings before but never had a duck actually hatch them. not really sure what to do here... i got them some chick starter (i checked and it is okay for ducklings too) and i gave them a low water pan so they could swim around some. they are doing well so far but im just not really sure if i should put them in a box inside or something, or just leave them alone? they are in a really small makeshift cage right now with a kiddie pool and the mom and her ducklings are in a little dog house. we also have the drake in the pen with them, and i was wondering if i should move him out? hes really fat and clumsy and i saw him step on one of the duckling's heads..


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## Southern by choice (Jun 15, 2016)

Let momma raise them.
Our Geese raise their goslings- ganders are awesome dads!
Our ducks raise their ducklings.
We have even had a bantam cochin hatch out and raise ducklings!  

Give them room. You are more likely to have injury with them in a small crate, or small pen area. Ducklings don't need a pool at this time. Just a water pan to clean their nostrils. They can easily get stuck in a pool and not get out.

They will do fine. Can you just free range them? Grass diet is best, with small amounts of feed.


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## EmilyClick28 (Jun 17, 2016)

really? okay yeah we'll let them out and let them free range.  thanks!


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## EmilyClick28 (Jun 20, 2016)

well so unfortunately we had one duckling die  we think the male duck bit it probably because we had seen him bite them before. so we separated the mom and babies from the drake and theyre doing well so far now. i was wondering when we will be able to tell their gender? i was planning on just listening for their quacks to come in. right now theyre 1 week old and still tweeting, and ive heard some people say they start to quack at 2 weeks old and some people say 6 weeks old... which is it?


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## Southern by choice (Jun 20, 2016)

Depends on breed.  You can tell by tail feathers. Males curl upward.


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## EmilyClick28 (Jun 26, 2016)

theyre pekin white indian runner ducks mixes


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## TAH (Jun 26, 2016)

You should be able to by there feathers. We had Pekins hatch when they were 8 weeks old we new what they were.


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