Broody Ducks

[Chicken/Bantam lover!]

We just had our first broody Maskovie duck, and she is/was sitting on 19 eggs
Unfortunately one has blown up, and most of them smell bad. She has been sitting on then for like 6 weeks. We also have a drake, so... What went wrong? She hadn't kicked out any eggs or anything.

 

[drumstick diva]

I believe it takes 28 days or so for duck eggs to hatch. What went wrong is either the eggs were infertile or died somewhere along the brooding process. Six weeks is much too long for her to be sitting.

It's her first time and she is inexperienced- maybe she got off the eggs to often or
any number of reasons why - no hatch.

Your best advice will come from the folks on the "Duck thread," please track them down through the search box.

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. D/Diva has given you some great advice. The link to the duck forum is -
http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks

Best wishes
CT

 

[moxiechick101]

One of our welsh harlequins went broody last Sunday ( may 14). We are letting her sit on 12 eggs laid Sunday through Thursday. I​

do have a few concerns. If they're laid feom sun.-thurs. and they take 5 days to all hatch will the ones hatching earlier disrupt the one going into lockdown? Will the mom stay on the eggs that haven't hatched yet once the first babies hatch? This is the first we will be hatching ducks even if it's under a mom and I want to know what to expect. Thank you so much for your input!

 

[Chicken/Bantam lover!]

One of our welsh harlequins went broody last Sunday ( may 14). We are letting her sit on 12 eggs laid Sunday through Thursday. I​

do have a few concerns. If they're laid feom sun.-thurs. and they take 5 days to all hatch will the ones hatching earlier disrupt the one going into lockdown? Will the mom stay on the eggs that haven't hatched yet once the first babies hatch? This is the first we will be hatching ducks even if it's under a mom and I want to know what to expect. Thank you so much for your input!

Well, I'm excited to say, that the ducklings my duck is sitting on are actually hatching!
I was really surprised and sort of sad (happy because it's bee a REALLY long time for her to sit) sad because I thought they were all rotting, so I threw some out, then realized they were actually live chicks. So,
I managed to get back 3 eggs (that didn't break) but 2 ducklings died from getting smashed .
So I hope the rest hatch! I'll tell more later.

To answer your q moxiechick
Our duck laid like one egg a day, for like 10 days or so, and they are still all hatching on the same day, so, I think that they lay an egg a day, then start sitting on them, so they all hatch on the same day.

 

[moxiechick101]

Well, I'm excited to say, that the ducklings my duck is sitting on are actually hatching!
I was really surprised and sort of sad (happy because it's bee a REALLY long time for her to sit) sad because I thought they were all rotting, so I threw some out, then realized they were actually live chicks. So,
I managed to get back 3 eggs (that didn't break) but 2 ducklings died from getting smashed .
So I hope the rest hatch! I'll tell more later.

To answer your q moxiechick
Our duck laid like one egg a day, for like 10 days or so, and they are still all hatching on the same day, so, I think that they lay an egg a day, then start sitting on them, so they all hatch on the same day.

 

[moxiechick101]

Thank you so much for your input!