Found a nest full of eggs outside of the duck house?

[l3mmmy]

We recently acquired some Indian Runner ducks when we bought our new home as the last owners couldn't take them with them and we agreed to take them on. We have 3 females and 1 male.

For the last couple of weeks we thought that one of our ducks wasn't laying as we were 1 egg short everyday - then yesterday we found what I can only describe as a 'nest' full of eggs in a patch of overgrown foliage within their pen! It's quite well hidden.

What's going on here? Do Indian Runner ducks get 'broody' like hens? This is all very new to me!

If it helps we normally put them in their duck house just before we go to bed at night - maybe 10:00pm/10:30pm - and let them out around 8:30am.

 

[sourland]

I have no idea as to the % that do so, but some do go broody.

 

[IceHax]

it is not very common (as in there are better breeds that will go broody much more easily) but it can happen

 

[l3mmmy]

I'm assuming these eggs won't still be 'alive'? Just thinking as she's not able to sit on them at night with her being in her duck house...

Do I just remove them?

How do I get her to lay them inside her duck house?

 

[IceHax]

I'm assuming these eggs won't still be 'alive'? Just thinking as she's not able to sit on them at night with her being in her duck house...

Do I just remove them?

How do I get her to lay them inside her duck house?

if she was broody she would just sit on them, no matter what. maybe she is just preparing to go broody? check for a few more days if she lays any more, there's a good chance she hasn't started the incubation process if that is the case, once she is done laying all the eggs she will go broody and sit on them. I've never dealt with any broody bird that had eggs under them, so i don't know whether it's safe for you to move all of her eggs to another place, but maybe someone more experienced will be able to help

 

[Knighstar679]

If some of the eggs are weeks old they would likely not hatch. But is possible that you have a duck that is thinking of going broody. Someone much more knowledgeable than me is going to need to chime in though on broodies.

 

[quackiemama]

I have a Rouen that is thinking about going broody. I'm going to watch this thread to see what the experts have to say.

 

[Anime2lover]

I have a Rouen that is thinking about going broody. I'm going to watch this thread to see what the experts have to say.

Me to.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

My experience is that all of my ducks will make & lay in a nest if given the chance. Typically they make nests in the bases of trees, in tall grasses, or behind some structure. I have tried getting them to go broody, but they never do. I have left the eggs in the nests so many times just to end up wasting my time.

Does the duck in question hang out around the nest? If she does there may be a chance she will go broody. If not, it is highly unlikely that she will sit on them and hatch her own eggs.

 

[l3mmmy]

I think she is broody.

Today when I got home from work she was sat on the eggs and wouldn’t move.

Is it possible to move the eggs into the duck house? Or do I just take them away? I get the feeling she is going to continue to lay in that spot...

I’d actually quite like her to have ducklings, but because she’s not incubating them at night (because the eggs are outside and not in the duck house with her) that’s not going to happen.

What’s the best course of action?