Broody Duck Not So Broody

[JenniferK]

My little BEI hen finally decided she was going to sit on her eggs, but she only seems to last about half a day -- at least that's how it's been for the last few days. Is there any hope of eggs hatching with such a lack of commitment on her part? It's not like it's warm out. We've been having days in the 40s and 50s. Is there a book that would have this kind of info so I can quit bugging people on the forum with questions like these?

 

[duckyfromoz]

Some broodies can take a few days to really get settled- and others just arent good broodies at all. It can depend on breed to a certain extent- but also as much the individual ducks instincs. Can you enclose her into a smaller area around the nest to discourage her leaving?? If she really isnt broody yet- she will not be happy to stay in the confined space- but if she just needs the extra nudge to sit full time- enclosing the area may help.

 

[JenniferK]

I don't know if I care enough to confine her -- I think that would be torture for her. In a way I would rather just incubate the eggs anyway so we can enjoy the ducklings more. If she does hatch them herself, would she notice if we happened to swipe one or two? Or would that be its own form of torture?

 

[donnavee]

I was wondering if your duck every really became a full time broody? I have 2 ducks that are broody, sit on their nests all day, and then I have 2 that sit on the eggs almost all day, but then come off in the evening and don't return to the nests. I find it strange and wonder why they go through sitting there all day?

 

[JenniferK]

That's kind of how ours was. She would sit all day, but if the other ducks were let out of their pen it was like she couldn't contain herself and had to join them for an hour or two. I couldn't imagine that any eggs could hatch, but she managed to hatch two. The first day we saw one baby out of the nest, and caught a glimpse of the other. When we came out later the mom was desperate to get out of the nighttime house and the other baby was dead. We gave her one more night to see if she would take care of the remaining duckling, and in the morning she complete ditched it, so it's a house baby now. I guess not everyone is cut out to be a mother.

Here she(?) is the first day:
http://kirchmanfamily.smugmug.com/Family/April-2011/i-qfhqX33/0/XL/dsc_0006-XL.jpg

 

[donnavee]

Interesting, I had a BEI hatch her first eggs over a month ago - 3 of them. I wasn't even sure the eggs were fertile, but let her do her thing. So, I was delighted when the first baby hatched - well the next morning, I found the little one dead and the other 2 eggs pipped but never hatched. I have no idea what happened to the duckling but wonder if she killed it - it was her first time being a mommy. So now she is sitting on another clutch which by my calculations should hatch this week. I'll have to monitor them carefully to make sure she doesn't harm them. I am hoping she will take care of them though, I already have chicks in the house.

 

[fowlmood]

I'm in the same boat right now. I have one duck who is "half broody". She does the same thing. She sits all day until I let the others out to free range and she just can't sit anymore. Then she gets up and leaves the nest. I've always marveled at the commitment a mother bird could make, just sitting there hour after hour. I guess it's too much for some birds. It's irritating though. I have ducklings and I was thinking about putting them with her if she was really going to go broody but I don't trust her.