Help! first time hatching!

[Lacrystol]

I smelt them and they didn't smell rotten. I tossed the two darker ones as I read elsewhere that they were rotten. I thought it was an outline of a duckling I could see and that's where I was getting confused!
The dad is khaki campbell and mum is a buff orpington, so I don't think they have special eggs.

you should candle them first. Looking inside can you you a lot about an egg. Especially if they don't smell rotten.

 

[Lacrystol]

They definitely had no smell. The shells were not opaque at all, they were all black nearly. I haven't thrown them in the bin or anything I just removed them from the nest as I freaked out and didnt want it to burst under my girl. I'm very confused now - but it seems as though they were bad because they were so black/grey. This is the 3rd time my broody girl has sat on eggs with no luck, is there anything I can do to help her??

R u certain she had gone broody, by the looks of the position of those eggs I would say she's just laying eggs and hasn't gone broody yet.

 

[ktduck]

How can you tell if she is broody?
She sits on them all day, comes out normally only
Once to eat and drink. She gets all huffy if you go near her nest and she honks a lot, also she is a bit aggressive to the other ducks. She actually seems a bit crazy when she sits on eggs. I guess I just assumed, as I don't know much about broody ducks etc. does it sound like she is broody? I don't really know what to do at this point

 

[ktduck]

Hello,

Just thought I'd let you know that I candle the blackish eggs, and there were def no veins or movement and when i (very carefully) smelt it closer, it had a slight smell. I will have to shoo Mindy off her nest and throw the rest i think, I will candle the pinkish one just in case - but it would be a very lonely duckling if its okay!

She keeps trying with no results, it's a real shame for her. Thank you so much for all of your advice it has helped me alot today!

 

[klemele]

Is it normal for female ducks wanting to move the nest? Because they moved the eggs like a foot away from the original nest. What does this mean?

 

[Lacrystol]

How can you tell if she is broody?
She sits on them all day, comes out normally only
Once to eat and drink. She gets all huffy if you go near her nest and she honks a lot, also she is a bit aggressive to the other ducks. She actually seems a bit crazy when she sits on eggs. I guess I just assumed, as I don't know much about broody ducks etc. does it sound like she is broody? I don't really know what to do at this point

Interesting, so she's showing signs of broody but looking at her nest, I would say she's not broody...

 

[Lacrystol]

Hello,

Just thought I'd let you know that I candle the blackish eggs, and there were def no veins or movement and when i (very carefully) smelt it closer, it had a slight smell. I will have to shoo Mindy off her nest and throw the rest i think, I will candle the pinkish one just in case - but it would be a very lonely duckling if its okay!

She keeps trying with no results, it's a real shame for her. Thank you so much for all of your advice it has helped me alot today!

Sounds like your boy isn't doing a very good job? Do you have another female? If so put some of her eggs underneath her. That may help in determine if he's mating with them? How old is he?

 

[Lacrystol]

That will definitely tell you

Is it normal for female ducks wanting to move the nest? Because they moved the eggs like a foot away from the original nest. What does this mean?

Well I have never had one move the nest once they are already sitting. I have seen them move the eggs and build a nest around them in there new spot because they roll the eggs with there feet.

However, If they are disturbed, they will move to a different spot and abandon the current eggs.

 

[18angovem]

Quote:
My ducks do this when the egg is rotten or infertile.

 

[klemele]

But they moved all of the eggs! And are sitting on them, I think they just moved it I will candle them tonight to make sure. I just think it was from when I checked tr water they would get disturbed