Can I encourage a duck to be broody?

[PirateGirl]

Ducks are new to me. I've been reading old threads on BYC about broody ducks. Can I encourage my ducks to be broody? I have 3 blue swedish hens and one drake. I've seen them mate. I have been getting 3 eggs a day for about a month. They make a little nest in the back corner of their house and all lay their eggs in it daily. I currently collect the eggs daily. The weather is below freezing at night and some days so I don't anticipate any eggs stand a chance of developing without a duck sitting on them. This is also one of the reasons I collect daily, because I don't want frozen eggs, we cook them and eat them regularly. I would love to hatch a few ducklings either under a broody chicken or a broody duck. From what I understand chickens will randomly go broody or not, whether they have eggs or not, but is it the same for ducks? Can I do anything to encourage a broody duck? Should I leave the eggs in there longer than a day? If I leave them longer and I don't have a broody are they still safe to eat? I don't want to waste eggs. Is there behavior I can look out for that shows they may be getting ready to set and then start leaving the eggs for a few days? What is a good clutch number? Also I've read to mark the date on eggs so if they are gathering them in a nest I know which are new and which are old, what do I use to mark them?

 

[chickens really]

Ducks won't go Broody till they lay a clutch of eggs..If you want Ducklings you let her nest and collect her eggs. She will either get the hormones to set or won't ...Stop collection of eggs and see what she does..Generally takes her about two weeks or so to go from laying to setting her nest..

 

[PirateGirl]

Ducks won't go Broody till they lay a clutch of eggs..If you want Ducklings you let her nest and collect her eggs. She will either get the hormones to set or won't ...Stop collection of eggs and see what she does..Generally takes her about two weeks or so to go from laying to setting her nest..

So if it takes two weeks, does she really need two weeks worth of eggs? Because at 3 eggs a day, that could become quite a lot by the time she decides to set. How many eggs should I let her collect? Then do I leave the original eggs behind in the nest if I'm stealing some, or leave the newest ones? If she's not sitting yet, I'm assuming I can still eat the eggs I steal from her. Is there a good article on here on broody ducks I can read? I found a lot of old threads, each of which only had a little bit of info

 

[chickens really]

So if it takes two weeks, does she really need two weeks worth of eggs? Because at 3 eggs a day, that could become quite a lot by the time she decides to set. How many eggs should I let her collect? Then do I leave the original eggs behind in the nest if I'm stealing some, or leave the newest ones? If she's not sitting yet, I'm assuming I can still eat the eggs I steal from her. Is there a good article on here on broody ducks I can read? I found a lot of old threads, each of which only had a little bit of info

I just leave all eggs and Hens will discard eggs that are not viable as they set them..

 

[PirateGirl]

I just leave all eggs and Hens will discard eggs that are not viable as they set them..

It's crazy how they just know when an egg is bad or a chick/duckling has problems and won't make it.

 

[chickens really]

It's crazy how they just know when an egg is bad or a chick/duckling has problems and won't make it.

Yes...And I toss those ones as they discard them..

 

[casportpony]

It's crazy how they just know when an egg is bad or a chick/duckling has problems and won't make it.

Don't count on it. Sometimes eggs roll out of nests, but I have never seen a duck discard non-viable eggs.

If you find an egg on the outside of a nest please candle it before you toss it or you might be deepl saddened when the egg breaks and you find a live duckling.

Been there, done that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Muscovies have never on purpose rolled an egg away actually never found an egg out of their nest once they start to brood. Haven't had my Runners or Buffs go broody so can't say on them. I have had Muscovy since 2004 and nope never once.

 

[Pyxis]

Don't count on it. Sometimes eggs roll out of nests, but I have never seen a duck discard non-viable eggs.

I had an egg explode under a broody once. Nasty That's why I candle eggs under broodies now, lol.

 

[chickens really]

My Muscovies have never on purpose rolled an egg away actually never found an egg out of their nest once they start to brood. Haven't had my Runners or Buffs go broody so can't say on them. I have had Muscovy since 2004 and nope never once.

Great information...