Are Muscovy moms evil?

[hikerchick]

I have two broody Muscovies, and at one time I thought, wow, I will have soooo many ducklings.

But the first one to sit has been sitting for 6+ weeks. At around 35 days I found some empty eggs and dead duckings in the pen near her, but that was all. Now she is sitting on what must be dead eggs.

The second one is due to hatch out this week. I just saw her running from the nest with an egg in her mouth and then proceed to devour it, duckling, shell, and all. I was horrified. Should I take the rest of the eggs away and try to incubate them? I am afraid that she is going to kill all her babies; and now I am thinking that is what the first broody did.

Does anyone have any experience with this kind of thing?

 

[Ducklove334]

was the duckling moving?

if not then most likely her eggs failed, my muscovies eggs were doing well, the for whatever reason, she started cleaning out her nest, eating egg after egg, even some with half developed babies, now she's sitting on one of her eggs and a runner egg, both look to be doing well.

 

[hikerchick]

I couldn't tell if it was moving or not; she was running with it. I hope it's what you said.


I want to be able to look my ducks in the eye, you know?

 

[swampducks]

My muscovy duck sat on 7 eggs. Four hatched 3 did not. She simply stopped sitting on the eggs and began taking the kids to the pond. Alas, one of the ducklings disappeared and I locked them up after that. Otherwise, she's been an exemplary mom.

You need to google this maybe. Myself, I'd start incubating the eggs.

 

[eggchel]

I had two muscovy ducks that hatched eggs at the same time. Then they started fighting over the ducklings and killed about half of them in the process. I kept them separated after that until the ducklings were several weeks old.

 

[Goat_Walker]

All ive ever heard is that they are great mothers- I was going to get one Scovy girl or two to add to my flock, so I could have her for when my others get over run with eggs . Now im not so sure. Are they good moms - or will they devour / smother the babies?

 

[jmc]

Once in a while a first-time mom, at least, may 'off' a baby. Maybe because of the initial strangeness of it all...............

 

[lauralou]

My muscovy hen is an excellent mother.

Very, very protective. Intimidating, even. That's what I thought you meant by evil. I was like, YES! Very scary and evil!

But that's not what you meant at all.

I'm sorry that I don't have any good advice for you. I hope that someone with more experience will be able to offer a solution. Maybe a dietary deficiency?