Duck Greenhorn needs help

[whatazoo]

I am a complete greenhorn when it comes to ducks. Sorry for the long story about how I came to have the duck(s). To skip, go to the second paragraph.

Last fall, my neighbor moved to town, but left 5 chickens, 3 ducks and 1 goose behind, and that a kid was going to be taking care of them. A dog got in there and killed 3 of the 5 chickens, the other 2 escaped their small pen and I ended up catching them and feeding / watering them (I had to cross a 4' chain link fence). Neighbor came back for a day and I asked if I could buy them and was able to get them all. Gave the chickens to my mom and dad. There was the goose, two mallard drakes and a pekin hen. March, the goose and drakes were ganging up on the hen, so they all went to other homes. Drakes were both pulling out her feathers and the goose was stomping on her. First I was going to keep the hen for eggs, then started acting "sort of broody" with some eggs so I was going to let her try to hatch the few that would have been fertile. The eggs were out in the open, frozen a few times I'm sure. But she got very lonely (she thought I was her boyfriend). I tossed the eggs in April. That same day, I got a Swedish drake from craigslist, whose mate had been killed by a dog. They took to each other very well, I thought.

So, I thought she hadn't laid any eggs since I got the drake. Thought it was strange, but see my first sentence... Well, one morning I went out to give them their goodies (peas, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries. etc) and fresh water and I didn't see her and I freaked out a bit. Well, she was in the dog igloo that has straw in and around it. There were a whole bunch of eggs in there! I had looked but never felt around in there. She covered them up every day before that and NEVER since! She will sit at night but not during the day once I take out their fresh water and food (they get poultry raiser and chicken scratch along with their veggies). Doesn't matter if it is 6:30 or 9:30 am.

I have been throwing straw over the eggs, as some days it has been cooler - rainy day before yesterday. I didn't really want babies. My question is this - is she just semi broody? She does this weird quacking thing, squatty, fluffing up her feathers, squashing down her neck. Should I just take these eggs away (again) and try to be more diligent about finding them from now on? Will she ever just sit on them? My mom said I am spoiling them with the veggies every day, but it was one of the only ways to keep the goose from being VERY noisy and I've just kept it up with the duck (she LOVES tomatoes and peas - then the corn and lettuce).

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Stephanie in Great Falls, MT

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am a complete greenhorn when it comes to ducks. Sorry for the long story about how I came to have the duck(s). To skip, go to the second paragraph.

Last fall, my neighbor moved to town, but left 5 chickens, 3 ducks and 1 goose behind, and that a kid was going to be taking care of them. A dog got in there and killed 3 of the 5 chickens, the other 2 escaped their small pen and I ended up catching them and feeding / watering them (I had to cross a 4' chain link fence). Neighbor came back for a day and I asked if I could buy them and was able to get them all. Gave the chickens to my mom and dad. There was the goose, two mallard drakes and a pekin hen. March, the goose and drakes were ganging up on the hen, so they all went to other homes. Drakes were both pulling out her feathers and the goose was stomping on her. First I was going to keep the hen for eggs, then started acting "sort of broody" with some eggs so I was going to let her try to hatch the few that would have been fertile. The eggs were out in the open, frozen a few times I'm sure. But she got very lonely (she thought I was her boyfriend). I tossed the eggs in April. That same day, I got a Swedish drake from craigslist, whose mate had been killed by a dog. They took to each other very well, I thought.

So, I thought she hadn't laid any eggs since I got the drake. Thought it was strange, but see my first sentence... Well, one morning I went out to give them their goodies (peas, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries. etc) and fresh water and I didn't see her and I freaked out a bit. Well, she was in the dog igloo that has straw in and around it. There were a whole bunch of eggs in there! I had looked but never felt around in there. She covered them up every day before that and NEVER since! She will sit at night but not during the day once I take out their fresh water and food (they get poultry raiser and chicken scratch along with their veggies). Doesn't matter if it is 6:30 or 9:30 am.

I have been throwing straw over the eggs, as some days it has been cooler - rainy day before yesterday. I didn't really want babies. My question is this - is she just semi broody? She does this weird quacking thing, squatty, fluffing up her feathers, squashing down her neck. Should I just take these eggs away (again) and try to be more diligent about finding them from now on? Will she ever just sit on them? My mom said I am spoiling them with the veggies every day, but it was one of the only ways to keep the goose from being VERY noisy and I've just kept it up with the duck (she LOVES tomatoes and peas - then the corn and lettuce).

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Stephanie in Great Falls, MT

Nothing wrong with giving them fresh veggies they are so good for them, and bless you for saving them from complete destruction.
First off

sounds like you may have a broody in the making, they will usually sit on the eggs at night first them as they lay the number of eggs they feel they want to sit on they will stop laying and start brooding So if she isn't sitting full time and you don't want duckling take the eggs away, I am having to do that with 2 of my ducks now, the eggs don't start to develop till she is sitting full time.
Some Pekin ducks will brood and some won't so you never know if she'll commit full time or not. The things that she is doing though fluffing up her feathers and doing the weird quacking and squishing her neck makes me think she is pretty close to getting 100% broody so I'd decide pretty quick what you want to do ducklings or no ducklings.

 

[whatazoo]

Oh, thank you! I kind of thought that was what she was doing (weird quacking), but wasn't sure. I didn't know if she wasn't bright, or if it was me! LOL Last time I took her eggs, she quacked forever, so I hate to take them away unless I have to, I guess. I'll wait a week and if she is still semi-broody, then I will take them away. I just hate to waste them, you know...

Thanks again,
Stephanie

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh, thank you! I kind of thought that was what she was doing (weird quacking), but wasn't sure. I didn't know if she wasn't bright, or if it was me! LOL Last time I took her eggs, she quacked forever, so I hate to take them away unless I have to, I guess. I'll wait a week and if she is still semi-broody, then I will take them away. I just hate to waste them, you know...

Thanks again,
Stephanie

I know, it's very hard for me to take eggs away from broodys but they want to take over the world and I just don't have the room. I have 1 broody now and I only let her have 4 eggs. I must be crazy. But anyway if she does decide then come over and join the Old fashioned Broody Duck thread, there are still a few of us doing it the old fashioned way.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

The best way to do it!

 

[Amiga]

The best way to do it!