Free Range Broody Rouen

[9Tiptoes]

I'm looking for suggestions and tips. I have a mixed flock. 3 Rouen hens, 1 drake, 2 Muscovy hens and a herd of drakes.
I have one Rouen hen who is especially broody. She's currently sitting on her second clutch this season but has yet to produce a single duckling. She's a good mama. Sits all day, runs to the pond and feeder for 30 minutes, makes lots of noise and is sociable and the runs back to her nest to resume her work.
So I have 2 questions...knowing all this, is it safe to say that my problem is she's being bred by the wrong drake? She has a very devoted Rouen drake but I've seen at least one of the Muscovy mount her.
2nd question: because she is free range, what tips can anyone give me for candling eggs outside?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Sara Ranch]

How old is she?

How old are the drakes?

 

[9Tiptoes]

How old is she?

How old are the drakes?

She is yr and a half, same as her drake. The Muscovies are just over a yr, and their 2 hens have already hatched 3 clutches between them this summer.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Small possibility that one of the drakes is not fertile or not getting the mating thing right. (I watched my duckies do the mating and the victory lap and I am thinking, dude, you didn't even get it in! Takes time and practice. Even my cockerels think they did good and I see their stuff fall to the ground or on the outside of the mating object.)

I believe there are portable candlers. Someone told me that she bribes mama duck with treats and reaches into the nest, pulls out the egg, to candle the eggs outside. She marks the viable ones and puts them back. Non viable ones go into the house for breakfast. Would that work for you?

 

[9Tiptoes]

I believe there are portable candlers. Someone told me that she bribes mama duck with treats and reaches into the nest, pulls out the egg, to candle the eggs outside. She marks the viable ones and puts them back. Non viable ones go into the house for breakfast. Would that work for you?

That would definitely work...next time. She's already been sitting 3 weeks. These free range girls are sneaky. You don't realize they're laying until they disappear to sit. Then it's a mad hunt for the nest.
I have to wait for her evening break to check the eggs.