Advice ASAP :)

[KAZROB]

Hi Everyone,

I am so hoping that someone will have some advice for me....I have 2 ducks and a Drake, they are Muscovy. I had a female sit on eggs and not one produced, although there were embryo's in them...anyway not long after this terrible outcome, my other female became broody and she is sitting on 3 eggs and has been since the 3rd December, it is now the 11th Jan here in Australia. I realise that Muscovy sit for 35 days, but is it too late now, as today is 40 days? I can not candle them, she is very protective and somewhat aggressive, nothing like my other mum who came out most days and swam and would allow me to check her, this one I am actually a little scared of!

I also want to know that if she does hatch a duck or two, do I need to move her? She has remained in her hut with the other duck and drake and the Guinea fowl...they all free range in the day. She has made her clutch of three in a hut that is within the hut, the others do not go near her or in her box....I am also wondering what do I do about water-swimming, I have placed some bricks in the small shell ponds I have, just in case she take her babies in for a swim, they can get out safely- (I think).....there is so much conflicting does and don'ts and so I am not sure and thought the best thing is to come to this site in which I am new too over the past few months and just love it!!!

Thanks and I look forward to all the advice I can get....

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I think whether or not you isolate a broody mom with ducklings really depends on your drake. If he has no issues with the ducklings, then I'd say just leave as is. But if your drake is in any way aggressive, then you will want to separate. Drakes can kill ducklings. I count Day 39, I would allow a few more days. Hopefully some Muscovy hatchers will be on shortly to add their thoughts. You are wise to have a plan for the water, you don't want drownings. Enjoy!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi Everyone,

I am so hoping that someone will have some advice for me....I have 2 ducks and a Drake, they are Muscovy. I had a female sit on eggs and not one produced, although there were embryo's in them...anyway not long after this terrible outcome, my other female became broody and she is sitting on 3 eggs and has been since the 3rd December, it is now the 11th Jan here in Australia. I realise that Muscovy sit for 35 days, but is it too late now, as today is 40 days? I can not candle them, she is very protective and somewhat aggressive, nothing like my other mum who came out most days and swam and would allow me to check her, this one I am actually a little scared of!

I also want to know that if she does hatch a duck or two, do I need to move her? She has remained in her hut with the other duck and drake and the Guinea fowl...they all free range in the day. She has made her clutch of three in a hut that is within the hut, the others do not go near her or in her box....I am also wondering what do I do about water-swimming, I have placed some bricks in the small shell ponds I have, just in case she take her babies in for a swim, they can get out safely- (I think).....there is so much conflicting does and don'ts and so I am not sure and thought the best thing is to come to this site in which I am new too over the past few months and just love it!!!

Thanks and I look forward to all the advice I can get....

If your sure it's day 40 there maybe something wrong, your going to have to candle it's about the only way to know or wait till the eggs go rotten and explode then you'll know for sure, but do you notice any smell? another way to tell. How is she eating seems she would have to come out to eat and bathe when she does block her from going back in till you have had a chance to at least pick the eggs up and visually look at them but candling would be better, and if they do hatch I would separate her with some fencing till ducklings can gain some strength and be able to get away from any unwanted hostility from any of the other flock members which could mean their death, just not worth it to me so I keep mine separate with fencing and their own lil house till around 3-4 weeks old. As for the pool up ducklings can drown so a very tiny lil pan for playing but not deep for 1st week at least. Then monitor when mom takes them into larger pool but make sure they can get in an out with out any problems. When my duck hatched last year she was inside a dog crate so I just picked up the crate and put her into the place I wanted her and ducklings to stay till they were large enough to keep away from any meanies. Hoping you get some ducklings, please let us know what you find, and be brave she can peck but it's not serious honest. and

 

[KAZROB]

Oh thanks you so very much for your reply and for my other response. With your reply I think that answers my last lot of eggs that my other mum was sitting on, she sat for quite a while over her due time, but then I was not really sure as to when she started to sit, but boy oh boy oh boy was there a terrible smell in the hay shed where she had made her home..I actually thought she had died! But it was the eggs and they were open like and had dead babies in them and had been pushed away..as for this mum that is currently sitting, I have never seen her out, but that of course doesn't mean she has not been out....She is in a hut in a rather large enclosure that they sleep in over night which is then opened every morning so as they can free range through the day, within this enclosure there are 2 large boxes with sides and a roof, they are actually ride on mower boxes, our local lawn mower store has ride on delivered in them and he puts them out for free, so I got two and they are in the enclosure in the hope that they may lay in there, which has happened, so I am suspecting she doesn't really adventure from the large enclosure and I have never seen her in the ponds! In the large enclosure I have water and feed so as they have access to it through the day and night..I just have never seen her out... I will certainly try and be brave and candle her eggs tonight, there is no smell in the box that she is in, none what so ever, she has made the most spectacular nest in this hut/box that she is in...

I will certainly pen off some of the area for her and her ducklings for the first couple of weeks or so, I think my drake is a kind and gentle man, but then who knows when it comes to ducklings as he has not been around any. I also think my other mum is collecting a clutch of eggs as in the hut I have another large box, that has all two sides and a roof, with an opening, she and the drake get in there of a night, I have been checking the box daily and noticed that she has 8 eggs tucked away in the corner, but she is yet to sit, she is the mum that had 13 eggs with no success? I am so hoping this mum that is currently on 3 eggs has a some success, I find it heart breaking for them to be sitting so long and get nothing in the end, but I suppose it is nature, but still sad I will certainly also let you know if I get a duckling or two. My fingers are crossed and I am off work for the next 4 days so I am hoping it all takes place in this time! and yes I do believe that my timing is pretty close, as he just sat when she had 3 eggs and I know there was still 3 eggs as my dog had ventured into the hut and mother duck came out and attacked her I happened to see that she was on the 3 eggs only still, but that is the first and last time I seen the eggs and that was a few weeks ago now, so I wrote the date down as the 3rd Dec approximately.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh thanks you so very much for your reply and for my other response. With your reply I think that answers my last lot of eggs that my other mum was sitting on, she sat for quite a while over her due time, but then I was not really sure as to when she started to sit, but boy oh boy oh boy was there a terrible smell in the hay shed where she had made her home..I actually thought she had died! But it was the eggs and they were open like and had dead babies in them and had been pushed away..as for this mum that is currently sitting, I have never seen her out, but that of course doesn't mean she has not been out....She is in a hut in a rather large enclosure that they sleep in over night which is then opened every morning so as they can free range through the day, within this enclosure there are 2 large boxes with sides and a roof, they are actually ride on mower boxes, our local lawn mower store has ride on delivered in them and he puts them out for free, so I got two and they are in the enclosure in the hope that they may lay in there, which has happened, so I am suspecting she doesn't really adventure from the large enclosure and I have never seen her in the ponds! In the large enclosure I have water and feed so as they have access to it through the day and night..I just have never seen her out... I will certainly try and be brave and candle her eggs tonight, there is no smell in the box that she is in, none what so ever, she has made the most spectacular nest in this hut/box that she is in...

I will certainly pen off some of the area for her and her ducklings for the first couple of weeks or so, I think my drake is a kind and gentle man, but then who knows when it comes to ducklings as he has not been around any. I also think my other mum is collecting a clutch of eggs as in the hut I have another large box, that has all two sides and a roof, with an opening, she and the drake get in there of a night, I have been checking the box daily and noticed that she has 8 eggs tucked away in the corner, but she is yet to sit, she is the mum that had 13 eggs with no success? I am so hoping this mum that is currently on 3 eggs has a some success, I find it heart breaking for them to be sitting so long and get nothing in the end, but I suppose it is nature, but still sad I will certainly also let you know if I get a duckling or two. My fingers are crossed and I am off work for the next 4 days so I am hoping it all takes place in this time! and yes I do believe that my timing is pretty close, as he just sat when she had 3 eggs and I know there was still 3 eggs as my dog had ventured into the hut and mother duck came out and attacked her I happened to see that she was on the 3 eggs only still, but that is the first and last time I seen the eggs and that was a few weeks ago now, so I wrote the date down as the 3rd Dec approximately.

I I hope you get a chance to candle because that should tell you alot, and sometimes if they have internally pipped you can hear the duckling peeping inside the egg, that is really cool. I always feel bad for my moms when they have a bad hatch, never have we lost a whole clutch but have only had 1 duckling hatch before. But it is heartbreaking when they are so faithful to sit then something happens. So I wish you the best and hope while your off work you'll have some baby ducks to enjoy. Exciting about the other mom too starting again. Looking forward to hearing what to see tonight. Oh and once one of my girls stated hatching ducklings on Tues and didn't finish up till friday and she started sitting on all the eggs at the same time, so these lil ones have their own timetable.

 

[KAZROB]

Thanks I will give you an update, I will be brave and candle tonight and you write things so beautifully...Here's hoping I have a duckling or two

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks I will give you an update, I will be brave and candle tonight and you write things so beautifully...Here's hoping I have a duckling or two

 

[KAZROB]

Hi Miss Lydia,

Well guess what, after exactly 45 days from when my mother duck sat on her three eggs, which the first was laid on the 1 Dec, then 2nd Dec and last one 3rd Dec, and then she sat and sat and sat, I went out this morning only to find an empty egg shell? So as mum is extremely protective, I put my hand in, in which was enough for her to attack me as she does and surprise surpise one baby duckling OMG I am soooooooooooooooooooo over the moon, she still is sitting on the other two eggs, so I am just going to leave them for a few days now and see if they hatch???? I didn't get to candle them as I wasn't as brave as I thought I would be, but now I have been pecked at a few times, you are right it doesn't hurt, I think it is just more scary than pain! Anyway I am so very happy for mum to have a duckling and now fingers crossed the other hatch today or over night? We are having a heat wave here in Victoria, Australia at the moment it is 43 degrees and it isn't noon yet, I think that equates to 110 in your conversion, I could be wrong in saying this! But it is hot down under....My chickens are enjoying watermelon and rockmelon, chilled from the fridge, my drake is enjoying his cold lettuce and my mum ducks well, they are just staying in their huts, one is on 9 eggs and then other as you know has just become a mum,,,I will now wait with anticipation to see if the other 2 eggs are viable at all..I can not believe it has been 45 days and my maths is correct, I am just amazed, is there anything special I need to do for baby...I have put some chick starter feed in a small dish in her hut and some shallow water...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi Miss Lydia,

Well guess what, after exactly 45 days from when my mother duck sat on her three eggs, which the first was laid on the 1 Dec, then 2nd Dec and last one 3rd Dec, and then she sat and sat and sat, I went out this morning only to find an empty egg shell? So as mum is extremely protective, I put my hand in, in which was enough for her to attack me as she does and surprise surpise one baby duckling OMG I am soooooooooooooooooooo over the moon, she still is sitting on the other two eggs, so I am just going to leave them for a few days now and see if they hatch???? I didn't get to candle them as I wasn't as brave as I thought I would be, but now I have been pecked at a few times, you are right it doesn't hurt, I think it is just more scary than pain! Anyway I am so very happy for mum to have a duckling and now fingers crossed the other hatch today or over night? We are having a heat wave here in Victoria, Australia at the moment it is 43 degrees and it isn't noon yet, I think that equates to 110 in your conversion, I could be wrong in saying this! But it is hot down under....My chickens are enjoying watermelon and rockmelon, chilled from the fridge, my drake is enjoying his cold lettuce and my mum ducks well, they are just staying in their huts, one is on 9 eggs and then other as you know has just become a mum,,,I will now wait with anticipation to see if the other 2 eggs are viable at all..I can not believe it has been 45 days and my maths is correct, I am just amazed, is there anything special I need to do for baby...I have put some chick starter feed in a small dish in her hut and some shallow water...

Congrats to you and mum, I know your excited and can't wait till she bring them out for you to see. She'll leave the other eggs if they aren't going to hatch in about 3 days if she doesn't you will probably have to take them from her so she'll start tending to her baby, yes put some chick feed and water close enough she won't have to get up and she can still show baby where food is, if it just hatched it will be about 24 hrs before it starts to get hungry. Take the camera with you though so you can grab a pic when you go out there because it will venture out from under mum to see the great big world.
I sure hope you get some more especially since she has been such a good brooder and now more on the way with other mum sitting, you'll have lots of babies running around. Sorry your having such horrid weather, we've been having opposite extreme. Now it can hurt when they peck, but it's more of a pinch, I have one girl that will latch on to my skin and twist, so I usually wear thin work gloves when she is brooding[if I remember them] When mum gets up to take babes outside that's your cue to move in there and look at eggs and candle or listen. Please keep me posted.

 

[KAZROB]

I will certainly keep you posted...it is all very exciting and tonight I am going to set up a camera in the hut and see what they get up to over night! Thanks for your reply's and interest, it is really appreciated and to think with such modern technology we can communicate in this way when we are at opposite ends of the world! Yes, I know you have been having horrid weather too. I had a friend just get back from Chicago and the weather was just awful, she had to fly over as her mum lives over there and took ill, but all is good now and so is her mum Now my friend is experiencing the complete opposite in weather conditions! We are having a heatwave like no other, it has been 100 years since such hot consecutive days! My fav time of the year is Autumn, which I think you refer to as the Fall.....take care and once again thanks so much