How to turn a broody duck back non-broody??

[Laura p]

Help please! We have a muscovy hen that has gone broody, but earlier in the summer our other hens hatched 15 ducklings, so we do not need any more at the moment!! Any tips on turning our hen back non-broody please??

She built a nest in the carport and sits there all day, but at night we still lock her up in the duck house. What else can we do? Thanks!

 

[sourland]

Destroy the nest and lock her out of the carport, but understand that muscovies are genetically programmed to set. She may very well lay another clutch and attempt to brood even this late in the season.

 

[Laura p]

Destroy the nest by putting rocks or bricks on it.

I'm just afraid she will make a new nest somewhere else, and I won't know where. This is the third place she's laid eggs this summer (and first time she's gone broody and stayed on the nest).

 

[casportpony]

I'm just afraid she will make a new nest somewhere else, and I won't know where. This is the third place she's laid eggs this summer (and first time she's gone broody and stayed on the nest).

Let her hatch them and sell the ducklings the day they hatch.

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

I'm just afraid she will make a new nest somewhere else, and I won't know where. This is the third place she's laid eggs this summer (and first time she's gone broody and stayed on the nest).

She’s a Muscovy, she’ll be on and off broody for the rest of her life. If you don’t want her to hatch eggs then destroy the nest. Removing ducklings the day they hatch would cause major stress on the mother.

 

[Laura p]

Let her hatch them and sell the ducklings the day they hatch.

Hmm I know our feed store doesn't like to carry ducklings because they're messy!!

 

[casportpony]

Hmm I know our feed store doesn't like to carry ducklings because they're messy!!

At the right price they should sell really quick on craigslist.

 

[casportpony]

She’s a Muscovy, she’ll be on and off broody for the rest of her life. If you don’t want her to hatch eggs then destroy the nest. Removing ducklings the day they hatch would cause major stress on the mother.

They get over it pretty fast.

 

[Laura p]

It may be too soon to say, but it appears broody hen has abandoned her nest and rejoined the rest of the ducks! It's been 3 days since a new egg, and we've been collecting her eggs as she went along but we hadn't gotten as far as destroying the nest like was suggested. But today she is back to roaming the yard with the rest of the ducks! Let's just hope she doesn't find a new hiding place - this duck has been our little miss independent who likes to go off and hide. This will be the third nest she's given up on this summer...

 

[Kimmyh51]

Destroy the nest by putting rocks or bricks on it.

I hate the idea of destroying a nest with ducklings who have developed far enough to suffer if a nest is destroyed. But that aside
I have had ducks (not Muscovy though, mallard derived) who will go broody and it doesn't matter what you do to their nest, they will just go and nest on an empty nest if there are no eggs.... I have had a couple do that, maybe they have figured out I a soft touch and can't bear to see her sitting and waiting and hoping for nothing. However I am trying to grow my flock so I don't have to stop my broodys nesting right now, just sneak the eggs I want to hatch under them.

What I have noticed, is that ducks I have had who I allowed to sit on a nest, but for one reason or another nothing hatched.... Most of them have not gone broody since.....

That makes me sad though, cos I keep imagining this duck with all this heartbreak and grief inside her from her failed nest, so emotionally sad she can't bear to nest again and lose another lot (when in reality, for all I know she's thinking "Thank god that lot didn't hatch! the drake is a lazy sod - what did I see In him?? And anyway, I'm way to busy foraging, and partying - making lawn into mud - to be tied down with kids!!")