I just found 3 eggs buried today but they were very cold. We got our 3 layers (1 year old) a month or so ago. The previous owner (a duck farm so they were with alot of other ducks). He said the ducks had slowed down on their laying a month early (getting cooler and dark sooner in our area) so I wasn't expecting much for eggs. They hadn't laid at all for nearly a month so I figured it to be a combination of the change in seasons and the stress of being moved to a new environment. They haven't shown any signs of being broody as far as the second i go in to let them out in the morning they can't get out fast enough and are out all day with no indication they want to go in unless our Pekins (3 drakes and 1 near 5 months old) want to go in, usually because they're looking for me it seems and they follow. At night different ducks will lay in the spot I found them (between a tote on its side filled with straw) and the wall but there's not always one in there. The ducks I have are pekins (near 5 month old) and swedish variants (blue and silver a year old) which I read and was told are not known to go broody. Metzer Farms told me this about the Swedish. I've also been told that some ducks will bury out of instinct even though they don't intend to sit on them.My ducks always lay their eggs in the duck house in the same area. They always bury the first they lay, then cover them lightly and lay another layer. They can have a larger hatch that way and they need the space to move eggs around to cool them or warm them. This is how they calibrate all the eggs so that they hatch together. (Duck House sits on ground, but has 1/2 wire covered with dirt, shavings and hay when building nest and in the winter). They know they have nothing to fear from predators here, they put themselves in the Duck House at night. Doesn't matter how much shavings or hay they have, they will scoop it away and lay those eggs right on the ground, cover them with shavings then lay another layer of eggs and cushion them with hay in the winter or just the shavings in the summer, then sit them. But the eggs are constantly rotated, all the eggs. (I used to number them and the numbers would shift positions daily). I dont bother anymore. If there's a bad one the duck will roll it out of the nest and I dispose of it for her.
I have one that started to sit yesterday, so its fresh in my mind how each day she has been working on the nest and its the same as in the past. Only she's older and bigger now and this nest is the grandmother of them all with 5 ducks laying in it. Why can't they take turns? Why don't they each just make their own nests to begin with? Not my ducks, they like sharing and she has taught the younger nieces and her daughter how to go about it.
So, now another nest is starting, so I will be removing those eggs, daily. Which means they will probably end up sharing the big nest again at some point. Muscovy due date - Xmas, guess we aren't going anywhere this year.Pretend these are ducks
So the question is why isn't your duck sitting them? Something bothering her? Is the nest in a duck house and secure? If not move it to a secure area. She may just want to lay more before she sits. There is no magic number. I would leave the nest alone if it is secure. If she is turning the eggs (sitting for a while) each day and checking on them, she should sit soon. Make sure she feels secure and is not disturbed by other ducks or chickens. My girls always set the hatching nest way in the back of the duck house. Everyone stays out of the duck house except her and the Drake once she starts to sit. (Drake will go and sit with her from time to time throughout the day. Just keeping her company). The rest just go in at night. If she is a young duck, she may not realize she needs to sit the nest , so I would lock her in and see if she sits it. If not take out half the eggs and see if she lays more then sits. If not , then you may need to waite until the next time she makes a nest. Good Luck.
