Duck sitting only during the day.....

[Quackers3211]

My welsh Harlequin Jenny recently went broody on a clutch of about 20 eggs. The temperature has been getting up to 98’ degrees and I had some eggs that a hen abandoned hatch after 3 days of her not sitting on them. That brings me to my question, can the eggs still hatch if she didn’t sit on them last night? She has only been interested in sitting during the day so far. She made her nest outside the little dog house I have for them to lay in as they don’t want to lay in their duck house. She is doing very good with the eggs as far as I can tell. Rearranging the outside of the nest, tucking in the eggs. Will the eggs still hatch if she missed last night? If she continues to only sit during the day will the eggs still hatch?

 

[WVduckchick]

Yes. As long as they don't freeze, they can hatch just fine.

Has she stayed on the nest other nights? Usually once they spend the first over-night on the eggs, they usually stay there the rest of the time, only leaving the nest for short periods to eat/drink/bathe/poop!

The hard part about them leaving the nest is it makes it harder for us to predict when they should hatch. But normally, they know what they are doing and there is no reason for us to interfere.

 

[Quackers3211]

Yesterday was her first day of sitting. She had shown interest before but she started committing to it yesterday. Hopefully she stays on it this time. She wants to sleep in the duck house with the other ducks..... she won’t let them near the nest but leaves it to sleep with them lol.

 

[Quackers3211]

Thank you for replying so quickly

 

[WVduckchick]

Do you know if she is still adding eggs to the nest? In my experience, they will spend more and more time on the eggs each day, until they get the number of eggs they want. Then they settle in and stay there.

 

[Quackers3211]

I don’t think she is but She might be. She won’t let me touch them unless she is off the nest.

 

[Quackers3211]

*Update*
Thank y’all for the help. She is now sitting on the nest all day and night and the eggs are coming along greatly. I candaled them and they are all developing nicely.

 

[WVduckchick]

*Update*
Thank y’all for the help. She is now sitting on the nest all day and night and the eggs are coming along greatly. I candaled them and they are all developing nicely.

Thanks for the update! And best of luck to her!