Mallard Abandoned the nest

[loverofhatching]

Hi All,

So it was her first time (with broody duck mine too). she was disturbed in last week of incubation by my head hen who would use her nest to lay eggs and push her off the nest. (i have now separated hens and ducks and geese)
when i discovered, there were 7 eggs in mallard nest meaning head hen has been using her nest for 7 days.

well yesterday 16-03-13 was day 28 of incubation and duck hen did not return to nest at the night before i.e., night of 16-03-12.
that night when i discovered that eggs were cold and there was movement in all of them, i shifted her clutch under my broody goose without eggs. all eggs were dark when candled and air cell was almost 1/4th of the egg. one of them was chirping loudly under goose still in eggs. there were pip marks on i guess 2 of them.

So this is my story which i wanted off my chest.
duck has started laying again and laid 1st egg of 2nd clutch on day 28 of last clutch incubation.

My Chicken hens take atleast 1 week after weaning last brood to start lay againg.

This is her in nest

See! she had been receiving treats also

This is her taking break from tiring task of incubation half way into it

 

[Alexandra33]

Awwww....that's adorable! One of my Mallards sat on several eggs a few months ago, which I candled after about a week or so, and only three showed any development. She was a faithful mommy for 2 weeks, and then abandoned the nest suddenly (mind you this was during particularly warm spell this winter) when the temperatures dropped. Hopefully again this spring, right?

-Alex

 

[loverofhatching]

Yup
Hopefully

 

[buff goose guy]

sweet story of the goose being able to hatch the eggs

Chips are not healthy for ducks, like at all, neither is bread and most human food.

 

[loverofhatching]

I was just kidding about chips
i do not feed my birds such things
she got that wrapper out of nowhere for her nest.

Well apparently goose ate two eggs and geese have been eliminated from my property and rehomed.
8 ducklings hatched on day 31st of incubation under broody hen and were also rehomed becuase no one was ready to adopt them.