Does a broody duck "need" to have swim time to cool down before heading back to the nest?

[MV Chicks]

Oops, just looked at the clock.. time is flying. She has been out longer than 2 hrs. More like 4. Is that a problem?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oops, just looked at the clock.. time is flying. She has been out longer than 2 hrs. More like 4. Is that a problem?

I've never had a broody stay off that long before. I'm thinking she may have given up. but dark in an egg with air cell can still mean viable babies see what she does this evening when time to go up for the night. if it's real hot out the ducklings if there are any living will probably be okay as long as she goes back to the nest But I am wondering now that she is out with the chicks if she hasn't just decided time is up time to start showing these chicks the ropes. The other day when a member was wondering about whether eggs were still good did a small hole in the shell into air cell to see if anything was going on they were all gone.Can you candle and take pics of some of the eggs that look furtherest along so we can see what they look like.

 

[subhanalah]

Depending on how hot it is, and how natural her nest is, it may be incubating itself. In fact, her added body heat may make it too hot.

How hot is it where you live?

Most reptiles make nests in the earth and cover them, the earth incubated them and after a certain period of time, the embryos generate their own heat as well.

 

[Lacrystol]

Well I tried candeling and they all looked dark inside. So, i cracked one open and there was a baby duck inside. It wasn't moving. It was kinda bloody. I feel sooooo awful.. Did I kill it? I'm at a loss.

show me a pic. The first problem I see is NO water, momma ducks will take a swim, this is how they get there bodys wet, then they will go and sit on those eggs, this is how they raise the humidity, doesn't matter if there's duck eggs or chicken eggs under her, this is there process of rasing that humidity. if there's no water for her to do this, the hatching will be a dry hatching, SHRINK wrap..

 

[Lacrystol]

Yep, that was the plan, to take away the chicks once the ducks hatched. That way she wouldn't feel like she has no babies at all. She is out and about today in her pen, bathing etc. She's been out for about 2 hrs now so I'm wondering if she has abandoned the nest at this point. She saw me candling and didn't seem to care, which is way different from how she had been acting previously. I actually saw veins in one egg but the rest are all dark except for the air pocket. I even did a water test to see if any were moving but couldn't see anything. I took the opportunity to wash goop off the from the chickens hatching. They all stink but I can't tell if that is a bad egg or just stinking from having the goop on them. Oh, what a day!!!

Well my first question would be why are you bothering her eggs? She knows what shes doing, she has tried to warn you and you still didn't take the hint. LOL

WASH GOOP? exactly how did you Wash the goop???

 

[Lacrystol]

Oops, just looked at the clock.. time is flying. She has been out longer than 2 hrs. More like 4. Is that a problem?

You took away her swimming previlages, not sure if you took away her food source, so i'm not surprise that she's been out that long. Ducks need water and she hasn't had any for a while. they are 10 times better at hatching then you or I, she can handle this, but if you keep disturbing her, she will quite. she's probably looking at you and thinking, OK YOU WANT TO DO THIS. GO FOR IT.

LOL

 

[Lacrystol]

And it is possible for a momma duck to raise chicken and baby ducks together. I know I've done it. the only thing I had to do differently is make sure that when a chick went into the water because they would follow the momma duck, is they were able to get out. Once they hit the water they realize oh crap, i'm in a pickle, as long as it's low enough they will get out of the water and the next swim time around, will stand on the edge watching and waiting.. So it's possible for her to raise them all together but once they get to a certain age, it's an all new ball game the chicks will hang out with others and ducks will be ducks

 

[MV Chicks]

She's back on the nest now. I've given back her swim pan and will be watching for potential drownings. She has had access to food and water the whole time. She has just been deprived of her swimming water since the chickens were born 13 days ago. It has been hot here in Vermont and its been wet too. When I washed the eggs I just used warm water at 100 degrees.

 

[Lacrystol]

She's back on the nest now. I've given back her swim pan and will be watching for potential drownings. She has had access to food and water the whole time. She has just been deprived of her swimming water since the chickens were born 13 days ago. It has been hot here in Vermont and its been wet too. When I washed the eggs I just used warm water at 100 degrees.

ouch not a good idea to wash the eggs, they have a coating that protects them, by washing them the coating is off and now they could get bacteria infections. A paper towel to wipe the gook off would have been better..

 

[MV Chicks]

The dried stuff on them smelled rotten too. They would have been better off with that still on there? So much to learn