# Devonviolet's Broody Hen Raising Ducklings



## Devonviolet (May 19, 2017)

I know this is a bit off topic, but I only post here on BYH.  I'm moving this from another thread . . .  I posted it late last night.
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WooHoo!!! We have two baby ducklings under our broody hen! 

We have lost a couple along the way.  Yesterday, DH found an empty shell, but no duckling. A few days ago, there were two, that were not viable.

This morning, I decided to pull the hen out (amidst much protest) and there was one fluffy, yellow duckling! Then we realized Edith (our turkey hen) was very interested in something on the straw. It turned out to be another duckling - looking a bit scrawny and weak. I picked it up and put it back in the nest box, hoping it would be okay.

This evening, when we put the chickens away for the night, I pulled the hen out again, and there were two fluffy ducklings! The weak one from this morning was doing fine. There was another egg, that was cracked, and it looked like another duckling was working it's way out. I left it and am hoping to see three ducklings in the morning! 

So, I'm thinking we will have to get that stall put together, in the barn, so the hen will have a place to brood her ducklings.

I didn't have my phone with me, so didn't get a photo. But, will try to remember to get a pic in the morning.


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## luvmypets (May 19, 2017)

Good luck with her! A few years ago we had a silkie hen hatch ducklings and chicks under her. It was quite the spectacle


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## Devonviolet (May 19, 2017)

This is the second Spring we have had her go broody. Last year we didnt have fertile eggs, so we always removed the eggs.

We got Pekin ducklings (including one drake) last Sept, and Muscovy's (also including drakes) last Feb.

The duck hens have not gone broody. So, since our gray Marans wants to go broody, I decided to give it a try.  Last year, before we butchered our roosters, I tried with a different broody hen & only one (out of 5) hatched, but didn't survive long.

If I could choose, I would prefer to have more Muscovy's. But, we can't tell the difference between Muscovy & Pekin eggs, so we put 11 eggs under the brpody hen & will see what we get. I'll be thrilled to get any new ducks at this point.


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## Devonviolet (May 19, 2017)

After milking, browsing & trimming hooves, I was finally able to get photos of our now THREE ducklings!  

The hen was out of the nestbox, and there were two ducklings + an empty egg shell. As I was trying to figure out what happened to the 3rd duckling, DH realized there was a fluffy yellow duckling under the hen, on the ground. 

So, I picked it up & put it in the nestbox.  Here are the best of the photos I got.


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## LocoYokel (May 19, 2017)

That is just precious!


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## babsbag (May 19, 2017)

Ducklings are so stinkin' cute. I get a lot of broody hens but I never thought of letting them brood duck eggs. I have 4 Rouen ducks, 2 hens and 2 drakes but the drakes are young. But I do have a friend with fertile duck eggs, this might be fun...


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## Devonviolet (May 20, 2017)

Last evening, when we checked the nest box, there was an empty egg shell, but still three ducklings. So, I had DH check under our turkey hen, Edith, who has also gone broody, and is sitting in the corner.  Sure enough, the duckling was under Edith!  So, we put it back in the nest box, with the Marans hen.  So, now she has four ducklings!

There were still five eggs, that have not yet hatched.  Since we are hoping for at least a few Muscovy ducklings. I discussed it with @goatgurl, who thinks all the ducklings, so far, are Pekins.  Since we are on day 27 and Muscovy's take 35 days, she thinks we should put the rest of the eggs under Edith, who won't know any different, and can brood longer than the chicken would, so if there are any Muscovy's they would stand a chance of hatching.

Actually, it was dark, when we moved the eggs to under Edith. I was using a small flashlight, so DH could see what he was doing as he place the eggs under her.  When the flashlight shown near a couple of the eggs, I realized the egg had a reddish glow, with a small gray area, rather than being a full shadow in the egg.  Does that mean there is a duckling that isn't fully developed - since, it would still have a full week before it is due to hatch?


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## Devonviolet (May 20, 2017)

I posted the following comment on my kidding thread.  Oops!     Too much going on . . .
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DH is putting together a couple stalls (in the barn), that the hen & Edith can use to raise the ducklings.  The barn is still a work in progress. We need to build a ramp, going to the 6 foot door. And, of course, we still have to build the barn doors & stairs going up to the 3 foot door. DH has put up some scraps of OSB with chicken wire, on the big opening, to keep night time owls & other predators out, yet allow for fresh air, and he built a door, with welded wire over an opening, at the bottom of the door, for ventilation.


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## Southern by choice (May 20, 2017)

Ooops probably because I posted in the wrong thread.


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## Devonviolet (May 20, 2017)

We moved the hen & her 4 ducklings over to the barn, this evening. It seemed that mom was very happy with their new home.







The ducklings took to their new home right away, as well.










Next we dipped each of their beaks in the water & they started drinking right away.





We are feeding our birds fermented feed, so each duckling got a taste of the feed, and a couple, of them, started eating that as well, after mom had her fill.


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## Southern by choice (May 20, 2017)

What do you have down in the stalls?  It looks like a tarp? What are you going to put over it? Is it for the goats?
Sorry I have not been able to keep up ... you may have already mentioned all this.


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## Devonviolet (May 20, 2017)

I mentioned, yesterday, that we put the remaining five duck eggs under our turkey hen, Edith.  As of this evening none of those eggs had hatched. So, I am hopeful, that at least 2 or 3 of those eggs hatch out some Muscovy ducklings.

Here she is setting in the corner nest, on "her" eggs, before we moved the mother hen & her ducklings.


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## Devonviolet (May 21, 2017)

Southern by choice said:


> What do you have down in the stalls?  It looks like a tarp? What are you going to put over it? Is it for the goats?
> Sorry I have not been able to keep up ... you may have already mentioned all this.


Yes, that is a blue painter's tarp, on the floor. For the time being, we are putting down wood chips, for the ducklings.

We know, from experience, how wet ducks are. DH has put three coats of a sealer, called WaterLox, on the plywood floor. The plan, with goats is to use straw litter on the floors. We've done that in our goat shed, for the wethers, and its working fine.  So, once we have moved the ducks outside, the tarp will come up &  once the floor has dried out, we will put down a nice layer of dry straw.


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## animalmom (May 21, 2017)

Wow!  Good luck with your duckies!


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## Devonviolet (May 21, 2017)

Mama chicken was setting on her ducklings last night, when I checked her, after dark. This morning, she was in exactly the same spot setting on her babies. 

This morning, we could tell Mama, and the ducklings had been eating & drinking. So, all is well with the world.

Edith, our turkey hen, continues to set on her eggs. However, this evening, when DH checked under her, he could only feel 3 eggs. So, he moved her, and in addition to the 3 eggs, he found a broken egg with a dead duckling in it.   

The puzzling thing is, I KNOW I put 5 eggs under Edith, and we can't find the 5th egg. 

This evening, before we came in, after milking the goats, we checked our Mama chicken & her babies. There she sat, with 4 ducklings snuggled underneath her.  She is such a good mama!!!


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## goatgurl (May 21, 2017)

those baby ducks are so cute!  mama hen looks so proud.  looks like edith is doing a good job sitting on 'her' eggs.  it should take another 7 days for the muscovy eggs to hatch.  if something should happen to them (I can't imagine how she broke a duck egg or where the other egg went.  snake?)  then get some more Muscovy eggs to put under her and start over.  just be careful to only get the Muscovy eggs or you will have the same problem over again with different hatch dates.  hope all goes well.


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## Mini Horses (May 21, 2017)

Cute, cute, cute.  The faces on ducklings is adorable.   Poor Edith, she just wants to be a mom!  She a lovely bird & could sure cover a lot of eggs for you!  Can't wait to see that group.

My BO hen is covering 12 eggs nicely.  Hope I get a good hatch rate.  She was a great mom last year!   If one of the others goes broody, I would set more eggs.   Opening & closing their little coops each day is a lot easier than my being "mom"!


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## Devonviolet (May 23, 2017)

Last night, when we checked on, fed and watered our hen & ducklings, the ducklings were all under "mom".  

When they heard us talking, they all came out. One went into the nest box & the rest went into the corner with mom. Well, mom seemed to count them & realized one was missing. She started looking all around, calling to the missing duckling. She finally went around and looked in the nest box. The duckling came running to mom & you could almost see her relax.  

It just amazed us that she counted & knew one was missing.   Once she found it,    all was well with her world!


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## Mike CHS (May 23, 2017)

This thread just keeps getting better.


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## Devonviolet (May 23, 2017)

When we moved Mom & the 4 ducklings to the barn, there were 5 eggs that hadn't hatched yet.

Edith our turkey hen was brooding in her nest, in the corner of the chicken coop. So, we put the remaining 5 eggs under her.

In the 3 days since we put the eggs under Edith, we have lost 3 eggs. So, we now have 2 eggs under Edith.

** One egg broke - there was no duckling in it.
** One egg disappeared - we're wondering if a snake got it during the night?
** We found one egg open with a dead duckling in it.

So, since we still have 2 eggs, which have gone beyond 30 days, we are hoping these last 2 eggs are Muscovy eggs.


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## Devonviolet (May 23, 2017)

Than


Mike CHS said:


> This thread just keeps getting better.


Thanks Mike!  I'm just loving having our broody hen raising ducklings.  This is her 3rd year going broody, and she finally gets to be the mom she always wanted to be.


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## Baymule (May 23, 2017)

Awww......your broody hen looks so happy. Your ducklings are adorable and I know ya'll will have so much fun with them. Awesome.


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## Mini Horses (May 23, 2017)

Everyday that you can watch the process of a hen setting, hatching & caring for the chicks just makes you realize how inadequate WE are when we try to do their job.  

It's best if all animals can be mom raised, they learn to be/do as they should. But the care of hens & eggs & chicks, so tiny and frail, is amazing.

Yes, animal mom's can count.      And they reprimand  if needed.

I hope Edith has live eggs to hatch.  If it turns out otherwise, I'd sure find some fertile eggs from others for her to set.  She deserves that.


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