Could I have a broody duck?

[DuckinDonutsBensalem]

I have 3 young Khaki Campbell girls.They started laying in the middle of February. I was finding eggs in random places like different spots in their coop, under the coop, under our trampoline and so on. It kind of fits what I read and heard about ducks laying and not being broody. I didn't find eggs easily for two days then I found this. One egg was poking out a little on top. I raked the straw with my hand and uncovered this clutch. I removed it but since then. They have still been laying in that spot and covering them even deeper in their coop overnight.

 

[sourland]

They will start pulling feathers and filling the nest with down if they go broody.

 

[Oncoming Storm]

My duck always buried her nests and she only went broody once. It’s just a thing.

 

[DuckinDonutsBensalem]

They will start pulling feathers and filling the nest with down if they go broody.

They will start pulling feathers and filling the nest with down if they go broody.

Do they do that before or after laying? Just curious, we're newbies but we seem to have very happy ducks so far.

 

[SolarDuck]

Do they do that before or after laying? Just curious, we're newbies but we seem to have very happy ducks so far.

Mine lay for awhile, then eventually go broody and start putting their down feathers in making the nest very soft and fluffy. It will be pretty obvious when it happens.

 

[KaleIAm]

They might be preparing to go broody. But like @SolarDuck mentioned it is really clear when they do. They sit on the nest almost constantly, only running off a couple times a day to get a little food and water. Mine are usually friendly, but they hiss at me when I come near. Also mine build a nest around their eggs that looks like a bird's nest you would see in a tree. You can pick it up and it won't fall apart! And they line it with feathers.

But usually my ducks pile up their eggs and don't go broody.

When someone refuses to come out for breakfast and they are on the nest I suspect they are broody - but they could be busy laying. If they are still doing it in the afternoon I'm fairly confident they are broody. And if they are still doing it the next day I have a broody duck.

If you don't want them to go broody you can just pick up the eggs. My ducks don't usually go broody until they get to 10ish eggs.

 

[DuckinDonutsBensalem]

Mine lay for awhile, then eventually go broody and start putting their down feathers in making the nest very soft and fluffy. It will be pretty obvious when it happens.

They might be preparing to go broody. But like @SolarDuck mentioned it is really clear when they do. They sit on the nest almost constantly, only running off a couple times a day to get a little food and water. Mine are usually friendly, but they hiss at me when I come near. Also mine build a nest around their eggs that looks like a bird's nest you would see in a tree. You can pick it up and it won't fall apart! And they line it with feathers.

But usually my ducks pile up their eggs and don't go broody.

When someone refuses to come out for breakfast and they are on the nest I suspect they are broody - but they could be busy laying. If they are still doing it in the afternoon I'm fairly confident they are broody. And if they are still doing it the next day I have a broody duck.

If you don't want them to go broody you can just pick up the eggs. My ducks don't usually go broody until they get to 10ish eggs.

Thank you! That's good to know. They keep laying in the same spot and covering the eggs. We have been collecting them daily.

 

[DuckinDonutsBensalem]

Thank you all! Having a Broody Duck never became a problem. Shortly after I posted this, I lost 5 of my ducks including my 3 girls to a predator attack. We were devastated but we took our freshest duck eggs and placed them in an incubator. Our girls left us very precious gifts. They are hatching now.

 

[KaleIAm]

Thank you all! Having a Broody Duck never became a problem. Shortly after I posted this, I lost 5 of my ducks including my 3 girls to a predator attack. We were devastated but we took our freshest duck eggs and placed them in an incubator. Our girls left us very precious gifts. They are hatching now.

I'm very sorry for your loss.