wondering if my Runner is going broody?

  Penelope our Fawn and white runner has been an egg hider since we got her about 4 or 5 weeks ago. She bury's them. My pekins don't do that. Tonight I'm watching her from the sliding glass door. I can see in the coop where her nest is. What I thought I saw was her making sure her eggs were buried. I look out 10 minutes later (nearly lockup for the night time) and she is on her ceramic eggs. Being a Runner, she got off her nest to stand next to her man Patrick as I lock up (they do this every night). So on to my question.

    I know when I have a chicken going broody. I know those girls! But other than sitting are there any signs of a duck going broody? I have saved her eggs for the last 7 days, I was going to put them in the bator. I guess if she sits  they will go back to her! 

  well this morning when I let them out, she was on the nest. She came out, ate, took a swim, pooped and after about a 1/2 hour is back on her nest. Which I think is just her 2 ceramic eggs. I have 6 or 7 of her eggs here in the house. If I indeed feel she is broody, how many eggs should she get? She is so little. 18 inches tall and maybe 4 lbs. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdywntr 

A previous runner I had hatched 10 out of 15 eggs and I helped with #11 a late comer.  So even though small they can set on alot.  I would say 7-10 may be a safer number to ensure that she is able to cover them.

wow! good to know! If she seems really serious I'll give her the eggs I have in the house. Pretty much if she sits today, and is there in the morning, she is getting eggs!

  she sat a few times yesterday and this morning came out, ate, did her business and went back to the nest. She is well on her way! Also Penelope is generally a really quiet duck. She has gotten quite vocal! And her feathers on her back between her wings tend to be raised and ruffled if she is out and about. I switched out her fake eggs for some of her real ones. Figured I would get that over with now! Here she is with her man Patrick.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mum 

Just commented on another thread how gorgeous Penelope and Patrick are.   Which makes my next comment ever more sincere:   I hope she hatched all the babies you put under her!

 

If she *should* abandon her eggs, you can always rescue them and have the incubator as a back up plan.

  thanks! I actually have some of her eggs in the incubator as someone ordered a few runners. If she doesn't go thru with it, that is what I'll do. But both her and patrick were born from broody's last year, so I have faith in her!