First nests

[docdubz]

I thought I was going to have to wait til next year since this is only my embdens first winter but I found 3 nests this morning. They dont seem to be setting on them except to lay. Should I try to candle them or leave them alone?

 

[JRies]

Laying and Broody are 2 different things. Nice that they built there nests and sounds like started laying. They will want a clutch of eggs before they go broody. So its up to you if you want them to build there clutch and see what they do. My girls hatched there eggs at about 1 year and were both good mama's together (same nest). I kept taking the eggs away and hatching them but once one went broody (on 2 eggs) I gave her back her weeks collection. There first eggs they laid were not fertile about 3 weeks into the season they were about 50% fetal by late march all fertile. Gave them back 8 eggs and they hatched all 8. If you have first year ganders you may want to collect till later in the season Once your girls go broody they will stop laying. (better fertility better weather for babies)

 

[docdubz]

Laying and Broody are 2 different things. Nice that they built there nests and sounds like started laying. They will want a clutch of eggs before they go broody. So its up to you if you want them to build there clutch and see what they do. My girls hatched there eggs at about 1 year and were both good mama's together (same nest). I kept taking the eggs away and hatching them but once one went broody (on 2 eggs) I gave her back her weeks collection. There first eggs they laid were not fertile about 3 weeks into the season they were about 50% fetal by late march all fertile. Gave them back 8 eggs and they hatched all 8. If you have first year ganders you may want to collect till later in the season Once your girls go broody they will stop laying. (better fertility better weather for babies)

Yea the ganders are the same age as the girls. Thanks for the input, I'll start collecting them and if any are fertile I'll go buy a new incubator.