Has anybody had a runner duck successfully hatch eggs?

[CharmingChickens]

I have a 1 year old runner duck who’s gone broody. I am literally so surprised since she is a yearling and the breed. She has 8 eggs which look to be around day 8-10 after candling. Harper, the runner duck, seems to go off the nest every time I bring fresh water on the coop. (Around 2-4 times a day). She’s off the nest for around 5-10 minutes each break. She seems committed but I’m worried she’s going to end up giving up due to her age/breed. I don’t want to stop her due to how wells she’s doing now and the eggs age. Please tell me either if you’ve had a runner duck hatch eggs successfully or a yearling hatch successfully, or both! Her nest is in an old dog crate, so after her breaks I shut the door so nobody disturbs her.
I’d also like to add she doesn’t cover the nest when she leaves. Does the mean she won’t be successful? I’ve had a broody Swedish duck before and she covered the nest when she left.

This is her and her nest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 7 Runners 6 female 1 drake and never have any gone broody they are now 7 yrs old. My Muscovy hatch out my Runners. But these eggs these Runners came from did go broody and hatch so hopefully your female will stick to it. Keep us updated,she looks pretty settled in.

 

[Awaytome]

I have one runner that has successfully hatched two clutches. She was 6 years old at her first clutch, a year after we adopted a drake. She was an excellent mother. One of her daughters, at one year old, is acting like she wants to be a broody, too, but we are trying to prevent it (don't want to run the risk of getting a lot of males again). I currently have nine females and one drake and give a lot of eggs to the food pantry!

 

[CharmingChickens]

I made a huge mistake. Let me first say Harper, the runner duck has been doing great. She’s so committed! I started leaving her cage/nest cracked open so she can enter and leave as she pleases since it’s been pretty hot lately. But doing that has brought up some issues. She originally had 8 eggs now she has 5. Since leaving her nestdoor cracked open the chickens have been getting in. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find the missing eggs. I sure hope the chickens didn’t eat them. And here comes my mistake. This morning i candled all 5 of her eggs and they were all moving! I was so exited! I didn’t want the chickens to get in her nest and I had chores to do so I let her get out, then I shut the door with the idea of coming back in 5-10 minutes and let her back in. It didn’t seem like such a bad idea. Then I forgot to open it. And went to work. I just got back, it’s been a couple of hours since she’s been off the nest. I feel terrible I quickly opened the door and she immediately went on the nest. Is there still a chance her eggs are okay? I can’t believe this happened. I was so exited as hatch day should happen soon. I’m going to candle them after a couple of hours of her sitting on them. I really hope they’re okay.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This happened similar with my chickens the broody would get up to let others lay in her nest and she’d lay in the extra nest box which meant she’d forget to get back on her nest until I’d see her hours later and sit her back in her nest the eggs would still hatch hopefully the same for your Runner. As for missing eggs could you have a snake? They will eat eggs and not leave a trace.

 

[CharmingChickens]

This happened similar with my chickens the broody would get up to let others lay in her nest and she’d lay in the extra nest box which meant she’d forget to get back on her nest until I’d see her hours later and sit her back in her nest the eggs would still hatch hopefully the same for your Runner. As for missing eggs could you have a snake? They will eat eggs and not leave a trace.

I don’t know if a snake could get into our coup. Here’s what the outside looks like.

The door is only open at day.
And the only snakes I’ve seen in the area are garter snakes. Hmm. I would think if the chickens ate the eggs they’re would be shells as there usually is. I’ll update in a couple hours if the eggs are moving

 

[Pollo Blanco]

I have a 1 year old runner duck who’s gone broody. I am literally so surprised since she is a yearling and the breed. She has 8 eggs which look to be around day 8-10 after candling. Harper, the runner duck, seems to go off the nest every time I bring fresh water on the coop. (Around 2-4 times a day). She’s off the nest for around 5-10 minutes each break. She seems committed but I’m worried she’s going to end up giving up due to her age/breed. I don’t want to stop her due to how wells she’s doing now and the eggs age. Please tell me either if you’ve had a runner duck hatch eggs successfully or a yearling hatch successfully, or both! Her nest is in an old dog crate, so after her breaks I shut the door so nobody disturbs her.
I’d also like to add she doesn’t cover the nest when she leaves. Does the mean she won’t be successful? I’ve had a broody Swedish duck before and she covered the nest when she left.

This is her and her nest.View attachment 3557786View attachment 3557787

My blue Runners are broody.
According to Metzner their blues are black/silver.
So if I had to make a quick assumption, blacks are far broodier than fawn/white.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's a nice coop but how do you keep from cooking everyone without any windows? My coop had a lot of windows and is still warm inside. If the eggs are in there they should at least be warm enough.
Our biggest egg eaters are black snakes they get 6' here and can eat 2 Runner eggs in one sitting.

 

[CharmingChickens]

That's a nice coop but how do you keep from cooking everyone without any windows? My coop had a lot of windows and is still warm inside. If the eggs are in there they should at least be warm enough.
Our biggest egg eaters are black snakes they get 6' here and can eat 2 Runner eggs in one sitting.

Where we live it doesn’t get that hot, but sometimes it is. Two of the roof panels are clear, even though I would think that would make it more hot. You can’t see in the picture but under the roof panels completely around there is this

And also the coop is in a shady area so the sun rarely shines on it, and also the second door is open all day! This isn’t my preferred design and I would love to have a run. But my dad is in charge and he hasn’t build the run for the two years we’ve had the coop. I also try to free range them but we’ve had issues with predators and chickens destroying the garden. And yes, I’m sorry I forgot to update sooner but this morning I went out to check on Harper.. and there was a duckling! One that had just hatched out and a second one almost hatched out! Out of the 5 she had left she only has 4 now, since I threw one out awhile ago because it was rotten. I only think two are going to hatch, but I could be wrong! I’m so exited!! First time we’ve had poultry hatch out their own babies!!

it’s not the best picture but here’s what I found this morning! This cutie is I assume is from my welsh harlequin because the egg was white, and my other female is a white duck. This is so exiting! My male is a khaki Campbell! I’ll post a picture later of her all dry, and maybe her sibling if she’s hatched by then! Oh yeah and I know welsh harlequins are supposed to be white but mine is mostly brown

(This is an old picture)

 

[waddleandcluck]

I have two broody runners right now. Unfortunately, they both snuck out of the duck pen to make their nests. One just got off the nest this afternoon she made deep inside a huge bush. No babies, no eggs, not even broken ones. Maybe she's been laying on nothing the last month?