Broody duck leaving the nest often?

[won023]

Hi guys I have a mamma duck sitting on around 18 eggs at the moment since Monday I’ve noticed she’s definitely broody but gets if the nest a couple times a day with longish breaks she swims for ages and takes along time to go back to the nest is this normal? For a broody to do she goes back to her eggs still and they are warming to the touch but I’m worried that she will leave them to long.

 

[sylviethecochin]

It's normal, because duck eggs require a higher humidity. She's wetting her breast feathers. I personally prefer a "tighter" setter, but she will probably still have a good hatch rate.

 

[chickens really]

If she just started setting, she knows what she is doing. Further along in incubation she will leave the nest less.
Ducks don't require water to hatch eggs..She is just enjoying her time off the nest.
Best of luck with the hatch...