First-Timer

[WVduckchick]

Beautiful!! Congrats!
Also kinda depends how many girls were adding eggs to the nest, and how soon momma started sitting on them. Could other eggs have been added later?

I would candle the remaining eggs. She could abandon them, even if they are still viable, or she could keep sitting on non-viable eggs for another week! All broodies are different. Lol

 

[littlecollier]

These were all from one duck, she laid 4 in one day and then the other 6 over a few more. She’s rolled some apples from a nearby tree into her nest, so I have a feeling she’ll be sitting there for a while.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What precious babies ❤ Congratulations!

 

[littlecollier]

So our second duck destroyed her nest a little over a month ago and started a new one that should be hatching soon. I just found an egg in our yard with a half hatched duckling that come from her nest ... I’m not sure if it died and she took it out of the nest or if she or something else killed it?

Since I’ve seen her destroy almost hatched eggs before I’m wondering if I should remove the eggs? Any thoughts?

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you think it may have been her I’d either take them or camp out close by in case she starts again.

 

[jaykayhuff]

This was such a great thread to eat away 30 minutes on!!! I couldn’t stop reading! Ha so sad about your Big that passed but fortunate you went ahead and got those two Littles. I was a little shocked that the story jumped from trying to figure out sexes to 67 eggs in a month! you have some excellent layers! Is it the same three that are making all these babies?

 

[littlecollier]

Hello! Glad you enjoyed the long read. It’s been quite the adventure since we tried hatching our first round two years ago.

The three adults we have (two ducks and a drake) are the three ducklings we had back at the beginning. Last year when they started getting broody we had just had our own baby, so we didn’t let them hatch any eggs.

Now here we are, with our original Big and two Littles and a half dozen ducklings running around a brooder in the garage. Crazy where life takes you, huh?

Do you have any ducks yourself @jaykayhuff?

This was such a great thread to eat away 30 minutes on!!! I couldn’t stop reading! Ha so sad about your Big that passed but fortunate you went ahead and got those two Littles. I was a little shocked that the story jumped from trying to figure out sexes to 67 eggs in a month! you have some excellent layers! Is it the same three that are making all these babies?

 

[littlecollier]

A couple pictures from last week of our baby and the new babies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Such a precious picture ❤ Any update on hatching and mama?

 

[jaykayhuff]

Hello! Glad you enjoyed the long read. It’s been quite the adventure since we tried hatching our first round two years ago.

The three adults we have (two ducks and a drake) are the three ducklings we had back at the beginning. Last year when they started getting broody we had just had our own baby, so we didn’t let them hatch any eggs.

Now here we are, with our original Big and two Littles and a half dozen ducklings running around a brooder in the garage. Crazy where life takes you, huh?

Do you have any ducks yourself @jaykayhuff?

It is quite the adventure! Such a good story too. I have three and a half drakes (one is a drake but acts like a female so he doesn’t count as a whole) and five new females that are going to be 16 weeks Monday, so egg laying is possibly among us in the near future. Although after reading your situation with only two females I’m starting to not be as eager haha