Broody duck

[veronicasmom]

For the first time ever I have a broody duck. She has been on her nest all day. I don't want babies, and I can't continually watch her to see when she comes out to feed, so do I shoo her out and take the eggs? Or play the waiting game and hope I catch her off the nest and take the eggs? Will that upset her? I've had ducks for 9 years and this is the first one that ever did this! My Swedes never did, my Runners didn't for sure and my Pekin has never done it. So, I am not sure what to do.

 

[ranchhand]

I need to know about this, too. I have 2 Mallards that just went broody- and I have no drake! Not sure I want/need more ducks, but it sure is a fun idea to hatch some under a broody... ack! Someone stop me!

 

[Kelsey2017]

One of my ducks went broody too, except I was really excited.

Until of course I realized that the other duck has been laying eggs in the others nest everyday. I marked them all with a marker and have been taking out the new eggs, but I know that she started to sit when she only had 6 and now there are 18!

I thought what I would do is try and take the babies as they hatch and brood them myself but I imagine they may hatch one a day for awhile. Should I just try and candle the eggs and put them into an incubator? Has anyone had this happen to them? I have never had experience with hatching eggs and just wondered what other people might do.
I am sorry for hijacking the thread, but this seemed like a good place to ask.

 

[Sophie Mae]

I wanna know to! I have 2 female muscovy and 1 male. Both girls were laying in this nest. When I found it it had 18 eggs in it. I counted 31 today. (I think). She started sitting on Mothers day and I thinks they should hatch on Fathers day. She comes off of the nest once a day, poops, drinks and eats. It is so neat to watch her leave the nest. She makes a big production, she nestles around for a while and when she is off she takes her beak and pushes feathers and leaves on to the nest. I peeked in on her tonight and she is doing her best to cover all eggs by spreading her wings and stretching her body out. I have not candled, was thinking about it but thought I would just leave it be. I am worried about rotten eggs though. Should I candle and relieve her of some of those eggs? I can not imagine all of them are going to hatch. I will follow your link...don't mean to high jack

 

[GrannySue]

One of my runners went broody yesterday. I know that's rare for runner ducks and I don't know how long it will last, but she spent about 2 hours throwing shavings over her back and making a nest with her body on the floor of the duck house. Then she settled in and lovingly started to incubate 2 golf balls. Yes, golf balls! Oh, and the place she chose was just beside the bag of shavings. I tried to remake the nest in the corner but she came back, made a new nest in the same place and replaced the golf balls in their original spot.
This morning I destroyed her nest, removing the golf balls, placing the bag of shavings on the spot she had chosen and recreated a nest similar to hers in the corner with last night's crop of 4 duck eggs. She had already "flown the coop" for her breakfast. When she came back she settled on the new spot.
We'll see how long her devotion lasts.

 

[veronicasmom]

Still wondering about this. Someone on here must have the answer....please.

 

[Wifezilla]

The chicken owners break broodiness by placing their birds in a wire bottom cage with no bedding until the broody urges pass.

As for broody runners, I had one hatch out 12 ducklings. She was an awesome if overprotective mom.

 

[tbitt]

I asked about a broody duck just a few days ago and this is the reply I received:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6476739#p6476739

 

[veronicasmom]

Oh gee, I am not sure I could handle that. She is already my littlest duck, the one winged one, so I baby her a little (ok, a lot). I am too soft to put her in a cage for all that time, I would have a nervous breakdown.
So, is there any reason I can't just let it go for a while and if I catch her off the nest, scoop out the eggs? How long does it take for eggs to hatch? How long are they usually broody for? If we keep removing the eggs, will that make her upset or will she just keep laying?

 

[tbitt]

I marked 3 eggs and left them, every day I remove the unmarked egg and she continues to keep laying in that same nest.


I wonder myself if it is better to remove them all completely once she sets and stays setting or to remove them all when she gets up. Which is less traumatic on them? I'm wondering if it is better to get it done all at once ASAP, will she be more upset the longer she has sat on that nest? I dunno?