Duck HATCHING PROBLEM

[fancifran]

I have a Rouen Hen that nested and laid 16 eggs, I took note of when she started to sit, I went to check on her yesterday and noticed she only had 7 eggs left, I found 2 dead ducklings in her nest, several of the other eggs were pipped, and one duckling was almost hatched, I have been leaving her alone, but curiousity won out, today I found 2 hatched ducklings dead in the nest, one fully alive fuzzy baby and a newly hatched duckling, she has 3 eggs left in the nest, but they show no sign of pipping, Our Humidity was off the charts yesterday, and the heat index was 112, could this have contributed to the eggs hatching, but not being viable, or is my duck a bad mother, and smothered the babies? LAST YR SHE HAD FOUR HATCH, THAT i KNOW OF, one by one she lost all but one, any advice? Also she did have a rouen mate, but he died, the resulting eggs are from my Pekin male, could that be a factor?

 

[duckyfromoz]

Being such a large breed it is possible she is crushing the ducklings as they hatch by accident just through moving around on the nest. Some mothers are just better than others - Some are hopeless first time around and will kill ducklings on purpose as well. Being the second year- your duck is a little more mature and less likely to be killing them- but may still be a better sitter than she is a raiser of ducklings.

 

[fancifran]

Thanks for the info, I don't think she is the best mother, I might take her eggs away next yr, she is an excellent sitter,