Broody Lucy

[rleome]

Our Choc Indian Runner, Lucy, has been disappearing mostly at night to underneath our porch. I didn't realize it til tonight (well my husband did) that she has a little pile of eggs under there! The problem is, I haven't noticed how long I've been poking her out of there to put her away at night (could be a week, or two) and it's been freezing here still. Warm days though, and I've been seeing her only in mornings and afternoons for a while and she disappears again. (Funny how it took me this long huh). Should I move her eggs and candle them? Even then, how likely is it that they would not be dead due to the freezing conditions? She's our first brooder, I really actually haven't found much online. Ugh.

 

[jdywntr]

Ducks will usually not set again if the nest is moved. That being said, if she is not in a protected area, I'd move the eggs and build her a nest in a safe area. Depending on how cold its been and how well she built her nest, the eggs may or may not be viable. If she isn't setting 24 hours a day (with potty breaks) then she is not officially broody yet. So, I'd check the eggs, frozen eggs will usually crack. Move them to a safe nest and I'd confine her in there for a little bit.

When making a nest, hollow out a bowl shaped depression in the ground or in a very deep layer of bedding. Place the eggs in there and you can put some nesting material around them. Hay, straw, pine shavings, leaves etc will work. She will pluck some of the down on her abdomen when she is intent on brooding and she'll add it to the nest.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I successfully relocated my Khaki Cambell's nest last year. She had originally built her nest under a ramp (on concrete floor), I picked her up and stuck her in the new area (where I wanted her), and then I very carefully scooped up the nest material in a big shovel and moved it perhaps 6' away from the ramp. She was of course, extremely unhappy with me, she watched me the entire time and screamed bloody murder at me, but after I removed the shovel and myself from the area, she sat right down and went on to hatch 4 ducklings. My guess is that if your eggs have frozen, they might be either delayed or not viable. I would candle as JW has advised.

 

[rleome]

Watching her today she's not gone near the nest. So I went out there, found 6. I candled them w/ a flashlight, and it looked like 1 of them 'might' be viable, the rest I couldn't tell. But then this is my first time ever doing this, so I could be completely off. meh. I'm looking for more resources, so if it turns out that one may be viable, should I just try to incubate it inside since she's leaving the nest most of the day? I guess that's if I really want to try it huh. heh. Thanks guys.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Watching her today she's not gone near the nest. So I went out there, found 6. I candled them w/ a flashlight, and it looked like 1 of them 'might' be viable, the rest I couldn't tell. But then this is my first time ever doing this, so I could be completely off. meh. I'm looking for more resources, so if it turns out that one may be viable, should I just try to incubate it inside since she's leaving the nest most of the day? I guess that's if I really want to try it huh. heh. Thanks guys.

She maybe just building her clutch up, and will not get to sitting full time till she has the amount of eggs she feels is enough, so either you leave the eggs till she is through and starts to brood. or you remove them, up to you. The ducklings won't start to develop till she begins to brood full time.