Flies On Nest, Now Covered and Abandoned

[Violet22]

I've had a duck sitting on a nest for 2-3 weeks. Yesterday I went out, and she was off the nest playing mother with my other duck's ducklings. There were flies all over the eggs, but none appeared broken. She never went back to them all day, and today I see she has covered them all with shavings so you can't see them, and is playing nanny to the other ducklings again.
It's been very warm here, so I know the eggs have stayed warm. Should I leave them be covered up like that, or should I remove them. I guess I could candle them and see if they are viable, but I don't have an incubator and really didn't want to do that, I was just going to let mother nature take her course with the eggs and ducklings. I have 9 adorable ones now, and more on the way.......if nothing goes wrong. I really didn't want too many ducklings, so I won't be upset if they aren't viable. I hope I don't sound cold or harsh in my let nature take it's course feeling! Should I let them be or remove them?
Thank you!!

 

[Bleenie]

If she's been on them closer to 3 weeks you could always bring them in and put them under a light bulb. we used to have to do that with our old muscovies..waaay back before we had an incubator. they'd hatch some and leave the rest so we'd finish incubating/hatching them for them. we were pretty successful and they usually took them right back after they were dry and mobile.

she could just be leaving them because it's so warm and she doesnt wanna overheat them. it could also be that the cute little babies are just more tempting than the eggs so she wants to spend more time with them. you might try closing her off with her nest or the other momma off with her babies for a day and see what she does with the nest. hope she takes them back so you can have some more fluffies running around!

 

[WriterofWords]

If she is taking the time to cover the eggs she is still taking care of them. Give it a couple more weeks before you toss them, you might be tossing live babies. The flies are because she leaves little presents behind when she poops and it gets stuck to her butt or feathers. If you are really curious take a few and candle them.

 

[Violet22]

Thanks both of you! I got my ducks last July as babies, so this is all new to me. I really didn't mean to have any ducklings this year, just things have kind of been out of control around here this year, and I didn't get to picking all the eggs up. It's good to know if she is covering them, she is still taking care of them, it has been very warm, in the upper 90's, and inside the dog igloo, I imagine it gets pretty unbearable. The mother of my week olds was lucky, she hatched them before the real hot weather started. I always thought ducks ate flies, maybe that is just Muscovies? I did put a few fly traps up today and they seem to be working already. They probably were driving her crazy while she sat on the nest. I would have left! If she doesn't see me and have a fit, I'll try candling a few tomorrow.....another new thing for me. I don't think she will even notice me, she has been so devoted to the other babies.
Thank you again!

 

[WriterofWords]

Hope it helps and good luck with your candling!

 

[Violet22]

Thanks! I'll let you know what happens..........it's all been so fascinating, I also had no idea one would hatch so many ducklings, I am adding on to their enclosure tomorrow, but I still will have to get rid of some of them, and that will be SO hard! I know all the males will have to go except maybe one or two, I thought 8 girls would be enough for my 2 drakes, but no........I have been hating mating season and watching my girls get beat up and harassed constantly. Does it ever end????

 

[Bleenie]

Consider yourself lucky! I am helping a friend find some females because she currently has 7 drakes & 7 hens! the poor girls are pretty beat up right now. she's going to talk to her husband after he gets back from out of state about either rehomign some boys or getting more girls. i don't think she realizes how many more girls she'll need!

 

[Violet22]

Those poor girls!!! I hope she finds homes for some of the boys, or can get more girls!

 

[Violet22]

Well, I finally got around to candling the eggs. Was I surprised when I went digging through the shavings to find only 3 eggs! Now, I don't know how many were there before, but it was a full nest........I figure at least 12. WHERE did they go?? I did find bits of shell, maybe adding up to one whole egg the past few days, but not 12! I don't think it was a predator, because all the other eggs are safe, and I keep picking up eggs laid here and there around the pen. The only thing I can think of, is some of the ones I have picked up aren't new, but ones she pushed out and 10 feet away? Or did she eat them? I don't know, but the 3 remaining eggs are bad. They were cold, and according to all the pics I looked at on researching candling, they are bad.

I also found another duck has abandoned her nest and covered the eggs with shavings. Is it the heat, or do they get bored? I also see lots of eggs outside the nest in my doghouses where 2 are sitting, should I pick them up as they aren't being taken care of, or will I make the duck upset and she won't come back to her good ones?

So many questions........this has all been so fascinating to me! At least I have 9 healthy beautiful babies! Their mama was the smart one and starting sitting before the hot weather came on!