Are there ways to encourage broodiness in muscovy?

[savingdogs]

I have two lovely muscovy hens, one year old, and a drake that I know is fertilizing their eggs. They each lay one egg a day.

How can I encourage them to be broody? We have a spacious duck coop with nests and fresh bedding, usually hay my goats have thrown down on the ground.

Is there some other type of bedding I should use to encourage broodiness? Is it too early in the season? They do not appear to be cold themselves and our weather has not been too exceedingly cold. Is it just too early in the year?

This is my first season with adult ducks so I'm not really sure what to expect and what to provide to encourage duck families!

 

[FoxhallFarm]

I can't help u here but I hope someone else can, that's something I've been wondering about too. I do know they lay a lot of eggs before they sit on the clutch, so not sure but maybe u should start leaving the eggs in the nest. Mine haven't even started laying yet....I'm getting worried! Best of luck to you.

 

[Mom 2em All]

I have tried leaving my eggs in the nest. Right now I have a nest of 17 eggs.
Either some scovy is going to go broody, or soon I will have a nest of rotten eggs.

So far, my ducks dont act like they care at all. They are much more excited about last years grass that is starting to show along the edges of my yard.
It is probably just too soon.

Good luck!

 

[savingdogs]

Mom 2 em all, that is what I'm afraid would happen if I left them in the nest.....I have left up to five out there in the nest. They seem to both lay in the same one but neither is ever laying on it.

One of the two was broody last November and I discouraged it thinking it was the wrong time of year. Now that I think the weather should be warm enough next month, they don't feel like it. Perhaps because they are only one year old they don't realize it will warm up?

 

[Dances with Ducks]

They may need more than five eggs in the nest to decide to go broody. If you don't want to risk leaving that many eggs out you could add some wooden eggs to bring the total up to, I don't know, maybe ten or more? Muscovy like to brood LARGE clutches. When a hen is clearly broody you could put the real eggs back in. Just don't wait too long so the ducklings all hatch within a couple of days of each other.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:

 

[Bleenie]

I suggest leaving the eggs in the nest, unless it's freezing where you are. if they want to go broody then one of them will after they feel like they have enough eggs. They are weirdos about brooding sometimes... I had one girl go broody on 4 eggs and my latest broody went broody on her average of 10 eggs.... on the other hand, i had one go broody on 32 eggs once & did fine

Leave it for a week and see if one of them makes up their mind. My girls like soft hay to use in their nests so I will usually leave a pile next to the box for them to add to the nest.

 

[savingdogs]

Well that explains what I am doing wrong, I have been carefully taking the eggs out every day or every other day so they would not spoil. When I think about it that is silly because the temp outside is probably remarkably similar to that in the refridgerator right now. Duh!
Thank you for helping me realize this! Maybe I will put my chicken dummy eggs in there, they are smaller but I suppose the ducks won't notice they are the wrong size.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Well I just went out and did a head count- and I have a muscovy on the nest of eggs.
of course, i do not believe it is broody.

Its my drake!

What the heck is he doing in there?

 

[savingdogs]

Gender identity crisis? Wants to be a daddy?

maybe it is a warm comfy spot..............