Brood or Incubate?

[Derputy Dawg]

Two of my ducks were recently killed by a dog. I have one drake and one hen left, and I want to start over and build a new flock. I have three fertile eggs from my ducks, and I've ordered 8 more from an eBay seller which should be here Friday or Saturday.

My remaining hen went broody last year, so I think it's possible to induce broodiness in her again but it's not a sure thing. If I set out some ceramic eggs now, is it possible to get her to start sitting and then swap them out when my hatching eggs arrive? Having her look after ducklings would make life easier for me than raising them myself again.

I still have my old incubator so that's an option too.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

It would take several days to get her broody. Every day those eggs sit, they lose viability (be sure you turn them while they sit). I would try both. You can always try swapping the ceramic eggs for the ones in the incubator later, maybe one at a time?!

 

[igorsMistress]

Two of my ducks were recently killed by a dog. I have one drake and one hen left, and I want to start over and build a new flock. I have three fertile eggs from my ducks, and I've ordered 8 more from an eBay seller which should be here Friday or Saturday.

My remaining hen went broody last year, so I think it's possible to induce broodiness in her again but it's not a sure thing. If I set out some ceramic eggs now, is it possible to get her to start sitting and then swap them out when my hatching eggs arrive? Having her look after ducklings would make life easier for me than raising them myself again.

I still have my old incubator so that's an option too.

I think it’s a good plan to try the ceramic eggs to encourage the hen. Be ready to incubate though if she’s not accommodating to your plans.

 

[Derputy Dawg]

It would take several days to get her broody. Every day those eggs sit, they lose viability (be sure you turn the while the sit). I would try both. You can always try swapping the ceramic eggs for the ones in the incubator later, maybe one at a time?!

That actually sounds like the best way to handle it, thanks. I'll get the incubator ready now.

 

[KathiQuacks]

So sorry for your loss

You’re right, there’s no guarantee she’ll brood. She has to decide for herself if she wants to go broody or not.

What I would do, personally, is give her a ceramic egg or two, lots of bedding, make it as nice of a brooding site as you can. And then, start incubating those eggs yourself anyway. If she starts laying eggs in the nest, take them away, and replace each one with another ceramic egg. If she appears to go broody while you’re incubating, once the ducklings hatch, you can sneak away a ceramic egg and replace it with a newly hatched baby. Continue to swap out eggs and babies, and if you’re lucky, she won’t know the difference, and will take them in as her own.

Alternatively, kind of what cheezenkwackers said, if she broods very early, you could potentially give her the eggs from the incubator, one at a time, and let her finish the hatch herself.

Either way, I’d start up that incubator, and hope she takes to brooding soon.