Advice needed for a brooding duck

[SlipperyGoose]

A setting Hen Doesn't lay eggs at all...

I see what you mean now. This was my first time even thinking about eggs hatching so I think I got ahead of myself. I don't want to force anything. Thanks so much for your help!

 

[casportpony]

Oh, I've also noticed that some of mine are more committed if they have more than a few eggs. Some don't care how many eggs there are but some really like having six or more.

 

[chickens really]

I see what you mean now. This was my first time even thinking about eggs hatching so I think I got ahead of myself. I don't want to force anything. Thanks so much for your help!

We all have been guilty of getting ahead of ourselves..I don't believe this is your time for Ducklings..

 

[SlipperyGoose]

If she's sitting tight you could try adding some fresh fertile eggs and see what happens.

I was going to say the same thing at least if they are fresh fertile and she finally commits you might get ducklings still this year

Well, she isn't really sitting as of today. She was on them first thing this morning when I woke up, but she's spent all day just foraging around. So while she was out I took out all the old eggs and left just the fresher, more likely-to-be-fertile ones. So I'll candle next weekend and just see what I got. They helped prep me and so I won't have my hopes too high. I've never done this before, so I wasn't sure how long to give her to commit before giving up. Thanks so much for ya'lls patience with me!

 

[SlipperyGoose]

Oh, I've also noticed that some of mine are more committed if they have more than a few eggs. Some don't care how many eggs there are but some really like having six or more.

I'll definitely remember this for next year if one of them (or her) starts getting broody. This will help me stay more patient rather than rushing around putting old eggs in there to basically force her to commit to them. Now I wonder if she knew they weren't fertile and said "nope!" to brooding them...lol

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Oh, sorry, I was just trying to clarify... I was hoping for advice on how to make this a successful hatch, and your advice is appreciated and I will take it to heart. I was thinking there was still hope if the eggs were indeed fertile, but now I'm thinking you guys don't think there's really any hope for that this year. I also didn't really think about the fact that she's had the last 8 days to make something happen with the original 4 eggs... is that a factor? She had stopped laying, I just realized that this afternoon when I was jotting down the dates, that I was only getting 2 new eggs a day for the last 3 days. I thought she was waiting for more so she could brood them all at the same time. I should mention I have daughters who are 6 years old and 3 years old and I got a little carried away by their excitement about ducklings in the next few weeks. ;-)

You can definitely leave them and see how it goes. Worse case scenario is you remove them in a few weeks. Best case scenario is you get a few ducklings. If you want to wait and see if she commits more that's fine. Being you are in Tennessee you probably won't get too cold. Give a try and see.

 

[SlipperyGoose]

Just an update: Mama duck abandoned the nest and never came back to lay on it. I fired up my incubator just to give it a go. Due to candle in two days to see if they're even fertile. If nothing comes of this, I'm not going to worry about babies until next Spring.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Update on eggs when you get to candle

 

[SlipperyGoose]

Update on eggs when you get to candle

Okay, I will!

 

[SlipperyGoose]

Looks like 4 out of 6... 2 for sure and I've got 2 questionable because their appears to be a blood ring but still an eye..so I'm not sure. Here's a pic of a questionable one.