I think my cayuga has *finally* stopped laying eggs. The nesting box got full of duck and hen eggs and she started laying in the sleeping area. So when she kept this up for a few days, I moved the eggs from the box to her new nest. What does she do? Goes back to laying in the box. UGH. In the few days that this took place, she kicked out 6 of her eggs and 1 hen egg. I took it as to being bad eggs. So I chucked them into the farm. Oddly, the duck eggs did not break on impact, but they did crumble under the jaws of the 6 month old pups where were hot on the tails of the flying eggs. Well, then I considered moving the remaining eggs into the nesting box but they all appear to now be crushed. I *think* she has one of her eggs and one hen egg in her care. In total, I think she laid 16-18 eggs. Is this the normal clutch? I was just looking at the number of eggs she was collecting and at one time had 15 and I could not fathom her sitting on all of them. She's a small duck! The hen seems to have no inclination to sit on eggs. I doubt the boys will help. If there are any eggs remaining in the sleeping area, should I move them to the nesting box? She can't do it herself since the box is elevated. She can't get the eggs up there. Will a duck reject an egg if a human touched it (to move it)?
Not sure about the touching eggs, Although ducks can lay tons of eggs, i guess certin breeds are breed for that purpose... if you are wanting baby ducklings I'd say incubate them yourself, not all ducks are good mothers, other than that I would leave her to her own natrual instincts, younger mothers can take time to take care of eggs.. maybe give her a few different nesting areas so she can take her pick where she is comfy.. I will let my ducks breed when a bit older, but leave her to it for a few months to see if she gets the idea, if not will incubate myself