Any guess’s on what happened?

[ojust4today]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/338051515756054449/

Thanks for sharing this I saved it,

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope you can catch what ever this critter is but mama critters are feeding their young now so your birds are really vulnerable to being preyed on all our birds are, I hope you can get your coop an run up to par before your ducklings hatch. Let us know what you see when you candle

 

[ojust4today]

I hope you can catch what ever this critter is but mama critters are feeding their young now so your birds are really vulnerable to being preyed on all our birds are, I hope you can get your coop an run up to par before your ducklings hatch. Let us know what you see when you candle

I will thanks so much for all your help and checking back in. Very true about the vulnerability. I just got this guy two dats ago to try to protect my flock.

I will keep you posted on the duck eggs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

He can sure sound the alarm but that’s about it! Beautiful Roo and Tom!

 

[ojust4today]

I’m back with another question. So I was in my home and I heard the ducks quacking pretty close to my house. We pretty much allow them to free range but there are a few places I prefer they stay away from (newly mulched flower bed and septic tank area)
Needless to say I could not see them out the window so I stepped outside and only seen two. My heart skipped a beat because they are always in a pack. I have 5 in all, therefore, I would expect to see 4. So I’m looking around then I see a duck lifeless in my flower bed like hidden behind leaves. She was so still I thought she was dead but her eyes were open. Then as I approached about 3 ft away I seen she was breathing. So of course I wanted to make sure she was ok. As I was baby talking her she got up and walked away. I assumed she walked back to the coop where the other two went when they seen me. So I decide to walk around the other property as not to disturb them and still check on them and find the last one if the four. Well she was sitting on the eggs with my other gal!! So I’m waiting and waiting for the other duck to catch up with the others. “Nothing” nowhere in sight. So I walk back around and she is hidden again all by herself behind the same plants. There was actually an indentation like she had been there before. She definitely does not want to be seen. So what is going on it is not like any of my ducks to be separated by the rest especially willingly.
Please get back to me soon I just need to know she is ok.
Update: I caught what was taking the eggs yesterday. It was my dog. I was livid. I was in the coop gathering the eggs and heard the sitting hen upset. So I went out my dog was about 5 ft away from her with a half of shell in front of her that was still wet on the inside. All the egg was gone. My heart was broke for my sitting hen. She sits there day in and day out and loses eggs like it’s nothing. As if this morning there were 8 eggs under her. Yesterday one hen did not lay a egg near her abs today two hens did not lay a egg near her.
When dues they cycle start? I know it’s when the last egg is laid but how do you know when that will be? Also how will it work with two hens sitting on the same nest? Will they both want to be the moms if we hatch ducklings?
Thanks so so much for all your help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So your duck is sitting and others have been adding to her nest daily? That will be a staggered hatch good thing you have another sitting because when the first batch hatch mama will stay until that batch hatch then most likely she’ll get up and take them out. Which means unless someone sits on the remaining eggs their done for. The one in the flower bed is probably looking for her special place of her own to lay. As long as she is acting normal other wise. My Buff decided she was going to have her nest up behind the house in the day lily bed she had it hid so good before I found it she had 6 eggs in it.

 

[ojust4today]

So your duck is sitting and others have been adding to her nest daily? That will be a staggered hatch good thing you have another sitting because when the first batch hatch mama will stay until that batch hatch then most likely she’ll get up and take them out. Which means unless someone sits on the remaining eggs their done for. The one in the flower bed is probably looking for her special place of her own to lay. As long as she is acting normal other wise. My Buff decided she was going to have her nest up behind the house in the day lily bed she had it hid so good before I found it she had 6 eggs in it.

Well with the three eggs that have been taken I don’t know if they were new or old. I wish I could hit a reset button. I would have pinned her up and let her out a couple times a day. Her nest is in such a weird spot and she would have had more privacy in there. Plus I think about all the rain we hit if the moisture affects the eggs.

So being that two hens today did not add to the nest is there a possibility she can’t handle anymore she she made that clear. What are the signs I will see that we can officially begin counting the 28 days? Or should I already be counting. I know with chickens they say it dies not officially start til the last eggs of the hatch is laid. Not the same with turkeys. Should I pencil on the eggs in the nest and take any from now in that are not marked. Since she is sitting on 8 now.

 

[ojust4today]

Well with the three eggs that have been taken I don’t know if they were new or old. I wish I could hit a reset button. I would have pinned her up and let her out a couple times a day. Her nest is in such a weird spot and she would have had more privacy in there. Plus I think about all the rain we hit if the moisture affects the eggs.

So being that two hens today did not add to the nest is there a possibility she can’t handle anymore she she made that clear. What are the signs I will see that we can officially begin counting the 28 days? Or should I already be counting. I know with chickens they say it dies not officially start til the last eggs of the hatch is laid. Not the same with turkeys. Should I pencil on the eggs in the nest and take any from now in that are not marked. Since she is sitting on 8 now.

I’m glad the other hen us ok. That it is ok to isolate and do her own thing in private. She is in the pen when she lays do I don’t think she would get the chance to nest outside the pen. I let them out at 6am and by then they have all laid. ( I love that about ducks eggs) Literally as fresh as fresh gets for breakfast.

Can you believe my dog?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes mark the ones in there. And remove any new ones. I’d also candle all the eggs so you can see if any are developing. Yes I can believe your dog mine would do the same if given the chance. They will also kill young ducklings and chicks. I have to make sure they cannot get to any that peep.

 

[ojust4today]

I’m back checking in. My two hens are still sitting on the nest. It’s the same nest. They are also both still laying eggs for that nest. It used to be only one would stay there majority of the time now they are both sitting around the clock. Now I have another hen that built a nest as well in the coop far from the older nest.
My last count was 11 eggs. I caught the duck that has been sitting the longest two days ago eating an egg and my dog got a hold of another one last night. I don’t know how I have been on that dog like white on rice.
I have not candled the eggs as their is a hen on them at all times. This is my first time allowing ducks to sit and if I go near them they go crazy and then the drake runs over and I’m not good in that situation. Im hoping they use their natural instincts for the egg situation. I’m providing pics of their nesting space. They have a coop they can utilize but none of them ever go in there or use it.
Any suggestions at this point? I believe we are atleast 15 days in. Also in the future what should I do differently now that I have another broody hen and a new nest?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions and taking the time to get back to me.