I recently noticed that 1 by 1 my three ducks weren't coming out of their house for longer periods. I never stayed out there long, so each time I just figured one or two were in there laying their eggs. Well the last week or so, all 3 have been in the house all day. I went into their house to peek today and there are two nests in there...16 eggs in one, two ducks are sharing this nest and 15 eggs in the other, one duck is manning this one. I candled most of them and they range from newly veining to the baby duck pushing up on the air cell. What will happen when some of the ducklings hatch, but the other eggs are still in the nest? Will I need to go in and get the less developed eggs and put them in my bator? Or will the moms keep sitting on the eggs til all hatch? I think duck #3 who wasn't broody when the first two were, was still laying her eggs in both nests. Also, when/if these hatch, will I need to remove the 2 drakes (one is the dad and the other is only 4 months old) or will the moms protect the babies?
Yes, I think you will have to remove the unhatched eggs after the oldest duckling(s) are about a day old or so. Usually the mom will leave the nest to take care of the ducklings and leave the unhatched eggs. Perhaps once the bator eggs hatch you'll be able to slip them under mom and have her raise them, but I've never done it, someone will come along to tell you if that works. I have a broody on a nest now and I am going to watch carefully when the ducklings hatch. If Bob, our drake, starts to get mean with them then he is out of there!!!! But if Fanny is a good mom and keeps him well away from the babies then I probably won't separate. Good luck, can't wait to see duckling pics!!!
Thanks! I will be sure to post pics. This will be the first time my Swedish hatch their own eggs. I am curious to see if the dad leaves the ducklings alone too. If not, he and the 4 month old drake can move to my other pen together til the ducklings get sold or get bigger. Wish I knew exactly when the ducks started sitting on the nests. I could only make a rough guess by the shading inside the eggs.
I wonder if you could divide the eggs between the two nests according to their stage of development. In the end you would stilll have to incubate some because you have quite a range, but at least fewer. Please keep us posted on this and how the drake behaves.