Broody Duck?

[Knighstar679]

So I have a duck that decided to come out of the duck house this morning. When I went out to refresh water because it is stupidly hot. I found my Black East Indie duck inside the house on the nest that has the fake egg in it.

How long does one need to sit on that nest to be a real broody Duck?

 

[Isaac 0]

Well, each broody is different how they go about hatching and raising their young, but for mine, before they go broody they, of course, build and choose a nesting site, after which they will spend several hours a day in for a week or so, this is until they reach a sufficient amount of eggs to sit on (8-10) eggs, then they start sitting full time.

Considering the above, if you notice she is starting to sit in the nesting box more often, and showing some aggressive or broody like behavior, I think you could say she's broody, and she'll be full-on broody once she thinks her clutch is of sufficient size. For BEI, that's usually around 8-10 eggs.

 

[Knighstar679]

Well, each broody is different how they go about hatching and raising their young, but for mine, before they go broody they, of course, build and choose a nesting site, after which they will spend several hours a day in for a week or so, this is until they reach a sufficient amount of eggs to sit on (8-10) eggs, then they start sitting full time.

Considering the above, if you notice she is starting to sit in the nesting box more often, and showing some aggressive or broody like behavior, I think you could say she's broody, and she'll be full-on broody once she thinks her clutch is of sufficient size. For BEI, that's usually around 8-10 eggs.

We have been picking up all her eggs each day, so she only has the one fake egg at the moment. Today has been the first day she went back to the nest after morning releasing of the ducks. She has been building nests all year, because she has been moved to a couple of different spots. She certainly has a favorite nesting box, always uses the same one every day.

 

[Isaac 0]

She may be on the verge of going broody, if you stop collecting the egg's she'll probably start.

 

[Knighstar679]

So I gave her back two eggs that I collected from her, today and yesterday. I will see what she does with that and the fake egg. See if she really decides to be broody or not. I might have to remove the jerk of a drake from the group though

 

[Knighstar679]

Last night I gave back two eggs to my Black East Indie girl. Today she only came out for a little bit in the morning and when we rechecked water today she was on her nest. I went into to check and she turned half dragon duck on me. It seem like I might have a broody.

I have penned the adult drake because I think he went and pulled her off the nest yesterday. We will see how it goes. This is day two she has wanted to be inside her nest box.

 

[Knighstar679]

So broody Ebony I am not certain yet if she is serious. But she comes out in the morning drinks poops and eats some. She will go back in and sit on her eggs then come off mid afternoon for a bit for more food a swim and to quack at everyone. She usually stays on it then until 5ish then comes out for a bit of free ranging. Usually around 9 she goes back on her nest. Each day she spends a little bit longer on the nest. She currently has 4 real eggs and a fake one.

 

[Knighstar679]

Mama duck aka Ebony has not left her nest today. I took a fake egg from her and she went all dragon duck and bit me for it.

so she seems like she might be pretty serious. I will see if she continues to sit. I have no idea how to mark time on a broody.

 

[Teneniel]

This is so exciting! I hope you don’t mind that I just came to watch

 

[Knighstar679]

This is Ebony or aka Momma Duck

this is her don’t mess with pancake look she is sporting for her summer attire. And her fluffed up wood chips are what she is trying to make all the rage in home decor.

She has decided not to move her hind end off that nest for more than an hour or so for the last three days. She also did not add an egg to her clutch today. So it looks like she is doing 5 eggs.

Once she hatched them and raises the ducklings will she lay again this year or will she be doneuntil next year. There isn’t a lot of information on Black East Indies.