Hatching problems -duck is kicking hatching eggs out

[Skcup]

I have three muscovies sitting on a bunch of eggs sister-wife style. I posted yesterday that I accidentally disturbed the nest last night and ended up with a duckling that hatched and I put him in a brooder but he died

The ducks are in a dog house with a hinged door that I shut every night. When I came out this morning to open the door, another ducking had hatched but it looked like the egg had been pushed way up against the door (about 2-3 feet away from the ducks). It had hatched but the baby was cold and had died.

Tonight, after work, I checked on them and there is at least one baby under one of the ducks that obviously hatched successfully but there were TWO MORE eggs at the door of the dog house, pushed out of the nest. The babies inside were cold and barely alive. I popped them under the birds just in case they can make it somehow.

Why would a duck do this? What's happening here and is there a way I can make the rest of the hatch more successful?

 

[Ravynscroft]

They might be trying to steal each others eggs and some are getting away frome them... in most cases I've had multiple sitters together, hatches have not gone well... only 1 pair did exceptional at co-brooding and co-parenting...

I dunno what else you could do except pull the eggs and put them in your bator... or take 2 out and give what is left of the eggs to a single broody...

 

[Skcup]

Ah that might be a possibility, thanks.

This morning the cold babies appear to be ok, they are under a mother and alive and well (I'm surprised, I didn't think they'd make it) and at least one more has hatched ok. So I'll leave them for now.

The co-brooding thing is interesting. I'll be a bit more careful next time. Thank you!