- Jun 24, 2014
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Our 8 month old Muscovy female was broody and demanding to hatch whatever was in the nest, even with just a fake egg in there. Coincidentally, a friend gave me 8 fertile chicken eggs and asked if I had a broody hen or incubator. I told her I had a broody duck and would try to hatch them that way.
In our research of Muscovies, we came across information saying they are wonderful mothers, go broody often, and sometimes used to hatch chicken eggs. Although, researching further, we haven't come across much detailed information on the process. It seems as if some people only use them to hatch then take the chicks away.
The two common concerns I came across are:
1) She may accidentally drown them teaching them to swim.
2) She may not recognize them as her own and kill them.
She will have her own pen with the babies once they hatch. We are going to keep a shallow water feeder in their pen to eliminate drowning possibility and watch her closely during the first days that she is okay with them. Any signs of strangeness we will put them in a brooder pen with a heat lamp.
This is her first clutch so she will not have previous experience with ducklings to compare these with.
Unfortunately, something happened to one of the eggs. I checked in the nest two days after she started sitting and there was only 7 eggs and a piece of shell on another egg. We have ground squirrels everywhere and I guess one snuck in her nest during her quick outting for food and water. But now all 7 are going strong for over a week now. They will be due around the 14th of July.
One is a tiny bantam egg and I did read it could cause uneven heating and to be extra careful the tiny bantam doesnt get trampled once hatched.
Does anyone have experience with surrogate muscovies? I would love feedback on this and I will update as the journey continues. She is very determined to hatch them I hope she's not disappointed when they're here!
Mama
7 Eggs
Broken egg shell piece, only evidence of missing egg
Very protective!
In our research of Muscovies, we came across information saying they are wonderful mothers, go broody often, and sometimes used to hatch chicken eggs. Although, researching further, we haven't come across much detailed information on the process. It seems as if some people only use them to hatch then take the chicks away.
The two common concerns I came across are:
1) She may accidentally drown them teaching them to swim.
2) She may not recognize them as her own and kill them.
She will have her own pen with the babies once they hatch. We are going to keep a shallow water feeder in their pen to eliminate drowning possibility and watch her closely during the first days that she is okay with them. Any signs of strangeness we will put them in a brooder pen with a heat lamp.
This is her first clutch so she will not have previous experience with ducklings to compare these with.
Unfortunately, something happened to one of the eggs. I checked in the nest two days after she started sitting and there was only 7 eggs and a piece of shell on another egg. We have ground squirrels everywhere and I guess one snuck in her nest during her quick outting for food and water. But now all 7 are going strong for over a week now. They will be due around the 14th of July.
One is a tiny bantam egg and I did read it could cause uneven heating and to be extra careful the tiny bantam doesnt get trampled once hatched.
Does anyone have experience with surrogate muscovies? I would love feedback on this and I will update as the journey continues. She is very determined to hatch them I hope she's not disappointed when they're here!
Mama
7 Eggs
Broken egg shell piece, only evidence of missing egg
Very protective!
