Duck decide to sit on 2 eggs. Leave or take.

[Denninmi]

My Rouen hen decided to sit on 2 eggs that I didn't take away fast enough. I had been gathering and using them, but I didn't get a chance to Friday night due to company. On saturday when I checked, she has 2 eggs in her nest area, and was sitting on them. Still sitting yesterday.

Since it's really too late now (they wouldn't be fully grown yet by the time it gets cold in October), and I don't need any more Rouens, what is the "kindest" way to deal with this -- take them away entirely, or perhaps slip something else in there like a couple of boiled eggs instead and just let her sit on those?

What's best for the bird? She did try to sit once before this season, but wasn't a really good mother, was off and on, off and on, and all that yielded in the end was 3 rotten eggs, partially developed but dead and smelly. But, when I finally took those away at around day 29/30, she seemed very upset with me.

If I let her sit on dummy eggs of some kind, will she eventually just give up on her own when she realizes they're taking too long?

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Where do you live that they wouldn't be feathered out in October? They just need to be feathered not full grown before freezing weather sets in. That is if they are brooded outside without protection. Ducks have down to keep them warm. My Muscovies hatched on the coldest day of the year here (it was freezing) with a wire duck house that was only tarped.

But if you don't want more ducks. Just take the eggs and continue on as normal. Disturb the nest and she should go on as normal after a few days. Don't let her sit if she isn't going to be sitting eggs. It really takes its toll on them, you don't want her to wear herself out for nothing. Keep disturbing her and the nest to dissuade her.

Wish my Snow White would lay more eggs so she could sit, she waited to long to go broody. When she starts laying again, she gets to sit when she is ready, no matter what month that is. I'll take care of the food, which is the real issue in the winter.

 

[Denninmi]

Thanks, BCC.

I wouldn't be comfortable with such a young bird in our fall weather. It can be quite cold here in October, with freezes and sometimes a little bit of accumulating snow. November definitely can have accumulating snow and sub-freezing stretches of weather. OTOH, it can also be 80 plus degrees in October and 70 plus in November for days on end. It just varies from year to year. It actually turned abnormally warm last year in November after a cold October and has stayed way above average every since. But it can turn on a dime, could be miserably cold in November. A couple of years ago on Thanksgiving we had an air temp of 8 degrees with windchills of -30.

OK, I'll just take them away from her. She was just so stressed out about it last time, and they were already rotten. I'll try to do better about keeping them harvested.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[katharinad]

Eggs don't really develop until day 4. That is when you can see blood vessels building. So if she sits now, that means they will be born in September, and they will be feathered in in November. Way to close to winter for my taste. I do agree with your decision of taking the eggs away. Duck are feathered in by the time they are 8 weeks old, but I feel it is not just that. They need to build enough muscle tone by running around outside and they also need plenty of light to build enough vitamin d to assure strong bones etc. OK, Vitamin D can be added to their diet. Still they need to build a fat reserve and extra winter down to stay warm. That would be after the molt in January. Wow, I would not want to go through that that late in the season.

 

[Denninmi]

Thanks for the input and moral support. I'll just take them tonight. Last time, it was awful, she was really stressed about me getting near her nest area and gave me the most horrible looks for several days afterwards. Anyone who ever spoke of "dumb animals" without emotions, memory, and soul has never been around them, IMO. I guess I can try to smooth things over with goodies.