Four ducks, one nest = staggered clutch?

[Stichbury]

Hi there. I'm a first time duck owner and my girls are first time broodies. They're runner ducks and we know they're good for babies because we've previously hatched their eggs under a goose. The presence of the babies seemed to trigger the ducks to sit for themselves, so now I have a set of 9-week old ducklings with goose parents and four runners (unexpectedly) sitting on one mixed up clutch of 12 eggs.

My question is -- could they have a staggered clutch? They seemed to start sitting a few days apart, although it wasn't clear who was and wasn't, as they seemed to have shifts in the house at the beginning, although they've all been sitting together for at least 3 weeks now. I haven't been very precise with dates unfortunately, as I didn't have much hope that they'd stay the course.

One duckling hatched last Friday, 26th June. Unfortunately, I found it dead -- it must have hatched overnight and been trampled by them (it looked perfect but was flattened, poor thing). Since then: nothing! I've candled the eggs and they look viable, and there was movement a day or so ago. But no pipping and no babies.

Is it normal when there are multiple ducks on a nest to see a staggered hatch? I can't quite understand how that works, since I'm pretty sure the first girl was sitting on all the eggs, and they didn't lay any more *after* she first started sitting, but just joined in as time went on. Maybe they did?

 

[AquaDuck]

It's quite possible that one duck was sitting and the other 3 were sneakily laying eggs in the same nest, and then joined the sitting when they stopped laying. That means the eggs should develop as they were laid, days apart.

It could be a problem if they get a few babies and then leave the nest and the other eggs. So you might wanna have an incubator ready. On the other side, they could also stay on the nest for days after the first babies are born, and don't take them out for food or drink. That would also be a problem, but easily solved by providing food and water to the newborns right by the nest.

 

[Stichbury]

It's quite possible that one duck was sitting and the other 3 were sneakily laying eggs in the same nest, and then joined the sitting when they stopped laying. That means the eggs should develop as they were laid, days apart.

Aha! Yes, I suppose they could have snuck some extra eggs in. I'll leave them for a while and get the incubator on standby in case they get up too soon on the final few eggs.

I have been considering getting the brooder ready too. I don't have much confidence in their mothering skills (after the first fatality). The girls are all squashed on the nest and I'm worried they'll crush any hatchlings.

 

[AquaDuck]

I have been considering getting the brooder ready too. I don't have much confidence in their mothering skills (after the first fatality). The girls are all squashed on the nest and I'm worried they'll crush any hatchlings.

Yeah I've had the same problem with my duck girls. 4 big bodies with big feet can easily crush a tiny duckling.

 

[Stichbury]

I'm hoping the ducks work out how to be gentle once more ducklings come along. My goose is huge and clumsy, and inseparable from the equally oafish gander, but together they managed to brood 9 ducks and some goslings without crushing any of them!