I thought my Campbell duck went missing yesterday. She didn't come running for food in the morning as she normally does. The others came but there was no sign of her even when I called her by name. She has always answered immediately and comes waddling along as fast as she can. I really thought that something had gotten through the fence and carried her off, or a python had taken her, as I searched the garden several times checking all her hiding places but she was no where to be seen, nor could I hear her quacking.
She is my only Campbell hen and I was very upset at her loss. I decided to walk the perimeter of the fence checking for holes. As I walked along, there she was, nestled into the leaf litter, hiding among the plants. She had made herself a little nest and was laying. She is just over a year old and while she has layed in the past, she usually just drops an egg anywhere and continues on her way. She has previously made two other nests but has never sat upon them.
Yesterday, after I discovered her, she covered the eggs over with leaf litter when she left the nest. I was carefull not to disturb the nest and just peeked over the leaves to see what was in there. I thought I could count about 6 eggs. She doesn't stay on the nest all the time. This morning when I got up at around 6am she was running about with the rest of the ducks. Later in the morning I noticed she was back on the nest. Her nest is visible from our dining room window so I can keep an eye on her. While I was watching her this morning she suddenly jumped up and stood cautiously by the nest. I then noticed a shiny black snake (I think it was a red-bellied black snake) slithering beside the nest and out through the fence. Thinking the snake may be after her eggs, I didn't know if she would abandon them to their fate or try to protect them, so I ran out to protect her - mind you, not sure what to do. Either way, I was determined to grab her to safety! Fortunately the snake kept going and didn't stop for her or the eggs. As soon as the snake had passed she sat down on the eggs again. I noticed her panting but she wouldn't leave the nest to drink, so I took a bowl of water to her. She immediately drank quite a lot. We are in the tropics and although it's the end of winter it is very warm here. I've also noticed that she has lost weight. I don't think she is leaving the nest to feed until hunger gets the better of her. She seems to stay on the nest for most of the morning and when she leaves around midday to eat, she appears to be absolutely starving. Now that I know she is sitting I'm giving her extra food, care and attention. While she was up feeding I peeked in the nest - she has 9 eggs. I don't know if she is staying on the nest during the night. After she left the nest yesterday she continued to run around the garden, grazing or floating on her pond for the rest of the day. I'll watch her today to see if she goes back to the nest after feeding. It's 3pm and so far she is still wandering about in the yard. We are in the tropics but I am wondering if she doesn't stay on the nest, especially overnight, if temperatures will be too low for the eggs.
This is my first broody duck ever. I am surprised as I thought that broodiness had been bred out of Campbell ducks. I had wanted to eventually increase my little Campbell flock (currently one duck and one drake), so I recently got 10 little muscovy ducklings to raise (they are currently 4mths old) so that I should get a broody female from them - how is that for irony!
She is my only Campbell hen and I was very upset at her loss. I decided to walk the perimeter of the fence checking for holes. As I walked along, there she was, nestled into the leaf litter, hiding among the plants. She had made herself a little nest and was laying. She is just over a year old and while she has layed in the past, she usually just drops an egg anywhere and continues on her way. She has previously made two other nests but has never sat upon them.
Yesterday, after I discovered her, she covered the eggs over with leaf litter when she left the nest. I was carefull not to disturb the nest and just peeked over the leaves to see what was in there. I thought I could count about 6 eggs. She doesn't stay on the nest all the time. This morning when I got up at around 6am she was running about with the rest of the ducks. Later in the morning I noticed she was back on the nest. Her nest is visible from our dining room window so I can keep an eye on her. While I was watching her this morning she suddenly jumped up and stood cautiously by the nest. I then noticed a shiny black snake (I think it was a red-bellied black snake) slithering beside the nest and out through the fence. Thinking the snake may be after her eggs, I didn't know if she would abandon them to their fate or try to protect them, so I ran out to protect her - mind you, not sure what to do. Either way, I was determined to grab her to safety! Fortunately the snake kept going and didn't stop for her or the eggs. As soon as the snake had passed she sat down on the eggs again. I noticed her panting but she wouldn't leave the nest to drink, so I took a bowl of water to her. She immediately drank quite a lot. We are in the tropics and although it's the end of winter it is very warm here. I've also noticed that she has lost weight. I don't think she is leaving the nest to feed until hunger gets the better of her. She seems to stay on the nest for most of the morning and when she leaves around midday to eat, she appears to be absolutely starving. Now that I know she is sitting I'm giving her extra food, care and attention. While she was up feeding I peeked in the nest - she has 9 eggs. I don't know if she is staying on the nest during the night. After she left the nest yesterday she continued to run around the garden, grazing or floating on her pond for the rest of the day. I'll watch her today to see if she goes back to the nest after feeding. It's 3pm and so far she is still wandering about in the yard. We are in the tropics but I am wondering if she doesn't stay on the nest, especially overnight, if temperatures will be too low for the eggs.
This is my first broody duck ever. I am surprised as I thought that broodiness had been bred out of Campbell ducks. I had wanted to eventually increase my little Campbell flock (currently one duck and one drake), so I recently got 10 little muscovy ducklings to raise (they are currently 4mths old) so that I should get a broody female from them - how is that for irony!
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