Broody Muscovy

[Miss Lydia]

I wanted to re-ask these two questions from my previous post. Anyone have any input? Right now it's just him and one female duck, and we have two chickens. Would one more duck solve the problem, or would it need to be more than that? And are there seasonal or age differences in mating behaviors?

THANKS!

I wanted to re-ask these two questions from my previous post. Anyone have any input? Right now it's just him and one female duck, and we have two chickens. Would one more duck solve the problem, or would it need to be more than that? And are there seasonal or age differences in mating behaviors?

THANKS!

Do they get to free range in a fenced back yard? I find if a drake has 2-4 ducks to keep him happy mine don't mess with my chickens at all. If they are closed in a run together I think that maybe asking for problems. Drakes are hormonal from spring which can be March till end of Oct. mine have just stopped mating and laying in the last couple of weeks. Thank goodness. I'm ready for a break. Oh and I had ducks mating in January this year when we had a bit of a warm up.

 

[LuLiJo]

Do they get to free range in a fenced back yard? I find if a drake has 2-4 ducks to keep him happy mine don't mess with my chickens at all. If they are closed in a run together I think that maybe asking for problems. Drakes are hormonal from spring which can be March till end of Oct. mine have just stopped mating and laying in the last couple of weeks. Thank goodness. I'm ready for a break. Oh and I had ducks mating in January this year when we had a bit of a warm up.

They share a run and they free range in the yard. At the end of summer, he'd be chasing the chickens all over the yard. He's toned it down a bit. In the run, there are a couple of roosts that he can't get to, so they can escape him a little bit. 2 or 3 ducks sounds manageable to me, but 5 or 6 would not.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They share a run and they free range in the yard. At the end of summer, he'd be chasing the chickens all over the yard. He's toned it down a bit. In the run, there are a couple of roosts that he can't get to, so they can escape him a little bit. 2 or 3 ducks sounds manageable to me, but 5 or 6 would not.

Just add 1 or 2 more girls that should keep him occupied. Oh them boys. lol

 

[LuLiJo]

OK, so the "due date" was yesterday, and still no signs that it's hatching. What signs should I be looking for if this isn't going to happen?

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK, so the "due date" was yesterday, and still no signs that it's hatching. What signs should I be looking for if this isn't going to happen?

Has she been out today? sometimes if they come out everyday and all of a sudden they don't can mean something is going on under them, I'm pretty nosy I usually just lift them up and look and have been known to candle too if they are late. By my calculations, But ducklings don't go by our calculations. lol

 

[LuLiJo]

I candled a few days ago, and it looked good: mostly dark, clearly defined air sack. It does not smell bad. I'm a little concerned because it looks like there's some dark staining, and I don't know if that's normal or not. I know exactly when she laid it, but maybe she didn't really set on it that day. Just wondering when I'll know if the egg is a dud.

Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I candled a few days ago, and it looked good: mostly dark, clearly defined air sack. It does not smell bad. I'm a little concerned because it looks like there's some dark staining, and I don't know if that's normal or not. I know exactly when she laid it, but maybe she didn't really set on it that day. Just wondering when I'll know if the egg is a dud.

Thanks!

Don't get in too big a hurry to toss. Ducklings have their own time table to hatch. and the staining could have happened when the duckling was getting in to position to pip and may have hit a vein. Have you peaked under her today to see if there is a pip?

 

[LuLiJo]

Still nothing. I float tested it a few days ago, and it looked good. Still doesn't smell bad, and candles the same.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Still nothing. I float tested it a few days ago, and it looked good. Still doesn't smell bad, and candles the same.

Could it just have been laid later than the rest? when candling could you see duckling moving around

 

[LuLiJo]

Could it just have been laid later than the rest? when candling could you see duckling moving around

There's only one egg. It's her first attempt at this. When we noticed that she was getting broody, we still didn't know if we wanted her to set on a nest. She ended up deciding that one egg was enough for her

I can't see anything moving, but I'm trying to be quick (and get it back to her) and I'm using a less than ideal flashlight.

She laid it on Oct. 11.