Appleyard on nest!

[Quack head]

One of my ducks is brooding, as of June 1 four eggs were in the nest hers and three other ducks. I have been placing all the eggs laid for a total of eleven eggs in the nest as of June 3. I have marked an "X" on the eggs in the nest so I could harvest additional eggs. This is my first attempt to let the ducks brooding:

What should I do if / when they hatch?

My ducks free range during the day and locked up at night, I have predators, mainly hawks and eagles, and I do have a turtle in the pond.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

I’m sorry no one answered your question yet. I give you a bump to the top

 

[Miss Lydia]

I tell you how I do it when I have a broody, where is she nesting? If inside the coop where the other poultry are I did this I had some scrap piece of lattice laying around so I made a nesting area for my broody she stayed in the nest box till the ducklings hatch then I took out the box because sometimes they get out an can’t get back in. This gives mama and duckling time together and safety from the other birds including drakes. Which have been know to kill ducklings. Now these ducklings are hatched an 2 weeks old and she is bringing them out among everyone but in the late afternoon she takes her ducklings and goes back inside her own area and this lattice will stay up until she is over being with them. They have their own food and water too. I take the lattice down for the after everyone is out of the coop so no duckling get trampled in the stampede. Another thing I have to worry about are blk snakes they will go after young birds and so when mama and her ducklings are outside I sit out with them. If I can’t be out they stay inside. We have had snakes kill our poultry and I won’t take any chance with my babies.

 

[Quack head]

I tell you how I do it when I have a broody, where is she nesting? If inside the coop where the other poultry are I did this I had some scrap piece of lattice laying around so I made a nesting area for my broody she stayed in the nest box till the ducklings hatch then I took out the box because sometimes they get out an can’t get back in. This gives mama and duckling time together and safety from the other birds including drakes. Which have been know to kill ducklings. Now these ducklings are hatched an 2 weeks old and she is bringing them out among everyone but in the late afternoon she takes her ducklings and goes back inside her own area and this lattice will stay up until she is over being with them. They have their own food and water too. I take the lattice down for the after everyone is out of the coop so no duckling get trampled in the stampede. Another thing I have to worry about are blk snakes they will go after young birds and so when mama and her ducklings are outside I sit out with them. If I can’t be out they stay inside. We have had snakes kill our poultry and I won’t take any chance with my babies.

Thanks for the reply, She is on the nest inside the "Quack House" using the middle of three nesting boxes. Wonder if I should remove the eggs at about 25 or 26 days and place them in a "hatching box" with a heat lamp?

I could build a hardware cloth enclosure around the box is one thought. She does come out in the mornings for about 30 minutes then back on the nest.

I do appreciate the reply, first time with a fully brooding duck.

 

[Quack head]

Update on the ducks, I have two out of four brooding. I put a trail cam in the pen and to my surprise the ducks were active all night!

I have four nesting boxes and four ducks, what I saw:

1. Non brooding ducks were going in the nest with the brooding duck and laying eggs, Is this normal?

2. The male would visit several times a day and mates with the ducks while on the nest. Once again is this normal?

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Miss Lydia]

Drake doesn’t need to be messy with broody girls that’s how eggs get broken. But yes if you don’t mark your eggs your going to have staggered hatches and eggs Will get left behind when ducklings begin hatching. What day and have you candled?

 

[Quack head]

Drake doesn’t need to be messy with broody girls that’s how eggs get broken. But yes if you don’t mark your eggs your going to have staggered hatches and eggs Will get left behind when ducklings begin hatching. What day and have you candled?

I was planning on candling on the 15th. Should I do it sooner?

 

[Miss Lydia]

You should see veining from 5 days on

 

[Quack head]

You should see veining from 5 days on

Just a pic, I have a camera inside the Quack House. Should I do something else with he nesting boxes in the future?

 

[Akennedy]

That’s the funniest pic