Ancona ducks. How broody and when?

[deedles]

Hi, we have a flock of 5 hens and 2 drakes, all Ancona. The girls have now resumed laying well, we had 5 eggs 2 days in a row now, before that was a couple weeks of 3 one day and 2 the next. Anyway, some of the eggs are fertilized and there seems to be a 'nest' area in a protected section of their coop but no broody mamas. When we open the door in the morning they all run out and hit the river for the day.

Are Ancona's known to be broody and if so, when and what should we look for? We'd love to have some baby ducklings around but we want mama to do it.

Is there anything we can do to encourage brooding?

 

[BoomChickaPop]

Hi if you want your ducks to go broody you,all you need to do is let them make a nest.
If you collect all the eggs they will never develop a clutch to sit on.
I would leave 1 fresh egg in the nest everyday and see which duck wants to sit on them

Good luck

BCP

 

[deedles]

Okay, thank you for that advice. Never occurred to us, duh. I knew someone would have an answer.

Can we mark the eggs so we know which ones are safe to take and also, how long can a duck egg sit before it's not good for brooding?

thanks again!