Broody duck... when will she sit long term?

[MissouriDuckMom]

I have a Cayuga hen that is about a year and a half old. For the last few days she has been disappearing for a long periods of time and not coming back to the coop at night to be locked up. She only reappears with the rest of the flock for a few hours or two to eat and swim. I finally found her nest with the clutch of 12 eggs yesterday. I was hoping she would remain broody after relocating the nest into the coop, but thought her safety was more important than her bloodiness. I moved as much of the nesting material as possible into a dog crate so she has privacy. She immediately moved the eggs around in the nest how she wanted them and sat on them all night last night but it's not sitting on them much today. I am wondering if she likely is giving up on these eggs because they were moved, or if it's possible that she just isn't going to sit on them long-term yet because she's not done laying her full clutch. Also, would it be okay for me to lock her in that large dog crate since she seems content to sit on the eggs when inside the crate? As long as she could get out briefly to swim and excercise?

Also, if I candle the eggs, should I remove the non-fertilizer eggs or let her roll the ones she wants out of the nest?

Thanks!!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I've never had much success with moving them while they are still sitting. What I have read, though, is to first move the nest into the crate and leave it in her chosen spot, if possible. She will get used to that, then that night after dark close the crate up and move it to her new location. Just for the future. I'm not sure what will happen with her current broodiness. Locking her up doesn't always get her to sit, though. If I do that to my guinea hens they just become obsessed with getting out and ignore the eggs or keets, depending on the situation. I'm not sure if ducks are quite as moronic, though.

 

[MissouriDuckMom]

I've never had much success with moving them while they are still sitting. What I have read, though, is to first move the nest into the crate and leave it in her chosen spot, if possible. She will get used to that, then that night after dark close the crate up and move it to her new location. Just for the future. I'm not sure what will happen with her current broodiness. Locking her up doesn't always get her to sit, though. If I do that to my guinea hens they just become obsessed with getting out and ignore the eggs or keets, depending on the situation. I'm not sure if ducks are quite as moronic, though.

Thanks for that tip! I will certainly keep it in mind for future!

 

[drumstick diva]

Your situation would be best determined by folks on the "Duck thread," put that in the searchbox and it should pop up.

 

[Pork Pie]

Here's the duck forum link mentioned by D /Diva http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks