found a mess of eggs

[jsdspif]

I thought my 2 rouen ducks were just slowing down with their egg laying now that winter /shorter days are here. I used to get 2 eggs every day but since the first snowfall it seemed to slow down. Now today I noticed one duck going to a small brushpile alone and normally the 2 of them stick together like glue and I had an idea what might be going on. I went out there this afternoon and there were 15 eggs out there,so they didn't slow down as much as I thought. At least now in the future I'll check out there. I had seen one or both spending time out there and I just thought it's a nice camoflauged spot for them to just hang out,but now I think maybe they were sitting on the eggs. I noticed a couple times when I'd go outside I wouldn't see them and I finally found them one day in that spot but they blend in so well that first time I had to get pretty close to see them. Now I can see them if I go ouside and they're there,but I can't see them just looking out the window because they blend in so well. She saw me collecting all the eggs and it seems like she was wondering why I was taking all the eggs. That made me wonder,do they know you're taking their eggs or don't they think like that? Well,that's all the duck excitement here.

 

[DiYMama540]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you were able to find their hidden nest! Ducks are notorious for laying eggs in some pretty strange places. My runner hen gets very creative with her nest locations. We have an egg hunt everyday looking for her egg!

All my laying girls watch me collect the eggs, but I dont think they mind. They're all too busy to be bothered with hatching.

 

[KaleIAm]

My ducks watch me collecting eggs, too. I don't think they mind, but are watching just in case whatever I'm doing results in feeding them something. Since that is my reason for existence.

One time I crouched down and offered one of their eggs I had just gathered to them. They were watching me and I wanted to see what they would do, if perhaps they had any feelings about this. One duck ran over, pecked the egg, broke it, and then looked up at me and gave me the, "where is the food?!" look. I then realized that I was in the offering delicious snack position. Squating, cupped hands extended.

That confirmed to me, as much as possible, that they don't care. They just want snacks.

Unless they are broody. Then they hiss at me if I try to mess with their eggs! Entirely different.