How long to leave ducklings with them?

[KikiDeAnime]

In 2 weeks, ducklings will be hatching. I plan on selling them but I was hoping to keep them a few days to make sure that they're healthy enough to go to new homes. We have 3 chickens sitting on all duck eggs.
Before anyone jumps at me for thinking of selling them, we have no room for any more adult laying ducks so I need to sell the ducklings.


How long can I keep them with our mother hens before selling?

 

[bhaugh]

You can sell day old ducklings really but I myself keep anything I hatch for about a week to make sure they are eating well and not sickly. I don't like replacing dead birds I hatched and raised out because I chose to sell too quickly.

 

[Weeg]

Its best to keep them with momma for 2-3 weeks before selling. Then mom gets a chance to raise what she sat on for a month, (that only seems fair to me) and duckies get to get their bearings on before having to go to new homes.
I kept my ducklings for at least 4 weeks before rehoming. Mother duck or hen does a much better job than any brooder will ever do.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

You can sell day old ducklings really but I myself keep anything I hatch for about a week to make sure they are eating well and not sickly. I don't like replacing dead birds I hatched and raised out because I chose to sell too quickly.

I know that I can sell day olds but like I stated in my posted I want to keep them a bit longer to ensure that they're healthy enough to leave

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like to keep mine when I had some I wanted to sell with mamas for 2 weeks. I mean after all she did all the work why not reward her enough so she can spend some time with her ducklings before sending them off.

 

[Weeg]

I like to keep mine when I had some I wanted to sell with mamas for 2 weeks. I mean after all she did all the work why not reward her enough so she can spend some time with her ducklings before sending them off.

I 100% agree with this statement. She sat for 28 days! Hardly moved, and protected her nest from everything for a month! Its not fare to simply pluck her babies away from her after all the love and work she put into them.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

I 100% agree with this statement. She sat for 28 days! Hardly moved, and protected her nest from everything for a month! Its not fare to simply pluck her babies away from her after all the love and work she put into them.

And I would love to keep them but 2 of the hens, as of last year, refuse to raise any young more than a full week.
1 hen has never raised young before so I'm 50/50 on what to do about her since she's a mean hen.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

So is this sitting hen an already proven bad mama?

 

[Weeg]

And I would love to keep them but 2 of the hens, as of last year, refuse to raise any young more than a full week.
1 hen has never raised young before so I'm 50/50 on what to do about her since she's a mean hen.

Really? Thats odd. Did something happen, or did she just not do a good job? I guess if she rejects them you may as well sell them at a young age.
Just because your other hen's mean doesn't mean she won't be a good mom. Hopefully she does a good job.

 

[Miss Lydia]

These are ducklings or chicken chicks.