Broody duck question

[kec5105]

Hello all,
I had one of my muscovy ducks go broody on me yesterday on a rather large clutch of eggs. They are free range and we couldn't find the eggs for the longest time so we figured they were hiding them. Yesterday morning she dissapeared and we couldn't find her any where until my dad went into the car port and she hissed at him. I don't know how many eggs are under her but some of them stick out a little from underneath her. My question is will they all still hatch? Or should I take a few and put them in the incubator so the ones under her actually fit under her? Also she is in not that great of a spot. Can I move her without her abandoning the eggs?
Thanks!

 

[Scottingitup]

If you move her she will more than likely abandon them. What you can try is a large cardboard box, fill it with bedding material and move the eggs into that. Wait until she is off the nest for a rest period or figure out when her rest periods usually are and push her off gently then. If you can manage that and she is comfortable in the box for a few days you can move her at night with the box covered. Even with all that she may still abandon the nest- so good luck!

As far as too many eggs I would just let nature take its course unless you must have all those ducklings.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

I made the mistake of trying to move my hen when she was broody. She freaked out, and refused to settle down and sit again. Wee wound up moving the nest back, and she settled right in on it again. So moving them is really hard. It's like my hen never believed that I had moved her whole nest, or that I MUST have left eggs behind or something.

 

[kec5105]

Thanks guys, I guess I'll just leave her and let nature take it's course. It's only 35 days she'll be there so I'm not too worried about it. She is awfully cute tho...everytime something gets near her she puffs up and hides her head like she is shy