First time hatching duck eggs.

[jdywntr]

Thanks Judy:

Your comments are a big help. The hen is sitting each day until I take the eggs up. Are/did you check your eggs to see if they are fertile? Or do we just assume and take chances. I have seen her mating with the drake from time to time so that's a good thing.

OK, I will wait a month or so for the weather to be "consistantly" warmer although its supposed to be 65 heree today! I assume pushing her off the nest each day for the next month will not make here "un-broody"!

Take care and good luck.

Kevin

Again you are welcome. I have not candled my eggs. I may but I have not had luck before with seeing anything.

I know that mine have been mating so I am hoping for the best.

I don't know how long yours would remain broody though. I would think that she may actually not continue to want to set for that long. If you have the means to put a heat lamp out (if needed) you may want to start leaving them with her. I wouldn't consider her officially broody if she isn't constantly setting on the nest. She could continue for the next month but I don't know. My only similar experience with that was a broody Silkie chicken who sat on "invisible eggs" (there were none) for 2 weeks until I removed her physically and shut the door to the coop/nestbox for about a week straight during the day. Crazy chicken

 

[kcbode]

Judy:
So she is sittting on a few now. Here is my next question......and maybe a dumb question.........Does she need to still be accesible to the drake so she can mate while she is still laying her clutch? Not sure if each egg is fertilized independently. Such detailed questions! How is your hen doing?

Thanks!
Kevin

 

[jdywntr]

Judy:
So she is sittting on a few now. Here is my next question......and maybe a dumb question.........Does she need to still be accesible to the drake so she can mate while she is still laying her clutch? Not sure if each egg is fertilized independently. Such detailed questions! How is your hen doing?

Thanks!
Kevin

Kevin

I am a firm believer in "there is no such thing as a dumb question".

I don't know the exact time after mating that her eggs can still be fertilized but I believe it is only a few days at most. I would leave her with the drake until she stops laying or until/if he is bothering her on the nest.

Is she staying on the nest almost all day? Only getting off 1 or 2 times for very short periods (15- 30 minutes)? If she is then she is going broody but she will stop laying when she is really intent on setting.

My hen is doing well. I have only seen her off the nest once in the past week. It was very early in the morning. She has 14 eggs under her. She stopped laying on 3/1 so (being a Muscovy) I have about 25 more days, give or take. I am SO excited.

Judy

 

[kcbode]

Judy;
That's pretty neat. Sounds like everything is going to plan with yours!

Not sure about mine now. She was laying and staying on the nest until I pushed her off to get the eggs. Now she is laying and then getting off the nest. So I guess she never really was "broody" as she was still laying....maybe just showing signs of being so.

If she does start to sit again after laying I will let her stay there and see what happens. Maybe as the weather warms up she will return to sitting. Supposed to be in the 70's this week in MD!

Good luck!

Kevin

 

[kcbode]

Judy:
How are things going? Any ducklings yet??

I have a unique (I guess) situation. I have two hens sharing the same nest! They are both sitting/sharing one next with seven eggs. They have both stopped laying. I put water and food up inside the house during the day so they don't have to go far for food and water. They get off breifly but then back on. I guess they figured doing it as a team would work better! Couple more weeks to go I guess.

Take care,
Kevin

 

[Ducklin Ducklin]

Judy:
How are things going? Any ducklings yet??

I have a unique (I guess) situation. I have two hens sharing the same nest! They are both sitting/sharing one next with seven eggs. They have both stopped laying. I put water and food up inside the house during the day so they don't have to go far for food and water. They get off breifly but then back on. I guess they figured doing it as a team would work better!  Couple more weeks to go I guess.

Take care,
Kevin

I have two ducks trying to share a nest of eggs. What happened with yours? Did the teamwork work out?