Broody duck?

[Duckie doodle]

I have 12 fertile duck eggs, they all have embryo and viens, they are mixed between 2 female ducks, and I was wondering if I was to put one of the female ducks in a separate area with the nest would that make her want to sit on the nest more?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I have 12 fertile duck eggs, they all have embryo and viens, they are mixed between 2 female ducks, and I was wondering if I was to put one of the female ducks in a separate area with the nest would that make her want to sit on the nest more?

Having just one broody duck and even less experience we should ask @casportpony and @WVduckchick for advice…

 

[WVduckchick]

Are they in a nest that the girls are sharing?

Some ducks build very large nests. Are any still laying and adding to the nest? They may not be ready to commit to sitting yet.

Overall, you can try to encourage broodiness by leaving eggs, but if they don’t want to sit, there’s no way to make them.

 

[Duckie doodle]

Thank you. They have a very large nest and the 1 is still laying the other one is not. They are sharing the nest.

 

[WVduckchick]

Its safe to mark eggs with a sharpie marker (I like to mark the air cell end, easy to find the mark every time without rolling the eggs all around), to keep track of the earlier laid ones, then you could move the later ones to the other girls nest, when she stops laying. They may even build a big nest together and sit side by side. But separate nests would be better. You just have to wait until the other girl commits.

 

[sourland]

I would not move the nest - every time that I have tried that with duck hens they have broken broodiness. It almost seems as if they are more focused on the site than the eggs. I would make it impossible for the hen that is still laying to gain access to the nest. Fence her our so that she creates another nest for herself.

 

[Duckie doodle]

What I have been doing is I have the nest fenced in and I alternate the hens in the fenced in area sort of like a shift. Blue swede will sit during day then the khaki campbell will sit over night. It seems to be working but was also thinking of putting them both in the fenced area together. Obvouisly with food and water, I love my ducks!