I have a broody, now what?

[emjay]

besides the obvious 28 day wait.

do I move her? Do I wait until they hatch, then move them as a family?
It's one of my welsh harlequins, I was hoping one was going to go broody soon, they've been super darn noisy lately. So, I've not been collecting the eggs,
well, today one decided not to leave her house, I thinks she's sitting on about 20 eggs, uhhhh, that's alot .

can they stay in the house with the drakes and raise a family ???

 

[emjay]

correction

I have two broody's, both sharing the same nest box, how sweet, now what to do about that??!!!

 

[poultrycrazy]

Idk about ducks but it really depends i guess. If you move them they could change there mind and leave the nest, but if you dont move them they could possibly be bothered by the others

Can you possibly just put up a fence around them or something and give them there own food and water?

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

I learned this the hard way. I tried moving my ducks nest when half her eggs wound up missing and broken. BIG mistake. She freaked out, and would not settle down to sit on her nest again. I was bummed, I had spent all weekend building this ducky mansion for her and her babies, but she was NOT interested. She scattered the eggs, and wanted nothing more than OUT of the scary place.

I finally gave up and moved her back to the old pen and her old nest (now she's back to her broody self), and moved the rest of the flock into the new run.

So my suggestion would be to leave her where she is, but if possible, section the coop off so the other ducks can't get to her or the nest, or move the rest of the flock to another coop/run if you have an extra.

I'll tell you, letting my girl go broody was more difficult than I ever imagined! Just hope we get some adorable babies out of it!

Good luck with your girls, I'll be sending good thoughts your way!!

 

[emjay]

thankyou, I don't know what to do really, as I only have the 5 ducks, 3 females , 2 males, and two females are brooding in the same nest.
Has anyone ever left them to be parents with the rest of the flock, in nature this is what happens ??
Would the males hurt the babies?

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

I left Izzy with her nest for the first 20 or so days. Unfortunately, something (at this point we think it was one our other ducks) was stealing and breaking her eggs. No wy to prove it, but it makes the most sense. So although I am sure that sometimes it works out fine, in my case, it did not.

I also hear plenty of stories of ducklings being killed/stomped when left with the whole flock. Then again, you may be fine. It's a tough call!

 

[shelleyd2008]

If she is bonded with the drake he won't be a problem, but if you have other drakes they will harass her when she comes off the nest. It sounds like she is in a secure place, so I would leave her where she is. Just mark her eggs so you can be sure to take any new eggs out daily.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Quote:
So true! Whenever Izzy comes out for a break, or a swim, my Pekin drake chases her and bullies her.

 

[emjay]

Quote:
this is the tricky part. I have two broody's on the same clutch of eggs,

and it's a large clutch at that. the third girl is laying her eggs in that same nest. I have only ever seen them both off the nest once since this began. And I had no time, to get in there.
I am hoping I can do it today, I'm hoping at dinner time, they'll both come out. But, then, it's not knowing which are developing eggs and which were laid today and yesterday. They've been broody now about 3 days, should I take out some eggs regardless due to too staggered a hatch.
and what happens when the eggs hatch under two hens, who gets to be the mama, will they share duties?
ack, and what to do with the drakes when they hatch.
I would love to let the mamas raise them, but, would it be easier to take the babies away at hatch ??
I have not dealt with a broody duck before.
excited yes, clueless as to what to do with everyone, YES

 

[shelleyd2008]

I would just mark all the eggs and leave them. They shouldn't hatch too far apart. As for them sharing a nest, try to put a divider between them and separate the eggs some so they each have a better chance of hatching. As for the one still laying in the nest...that's what the marks are for. Take a duck off the nest if you have to to see which eggs aren't supposed to be there

ETA: The only time I've had a duck hatch ducklings she lost them all the night they hatched because we had a huge rat problem

so I don't know how the drakes would act. However, seeing how mine act with 'their' girls, I don't think they'd be a problem. They might even help with the care. I have a rouen that is broody, her rouen boyfriend is very protective of her. I don't think he'd be a problem at all. The runner broody though, she's kind of the 'flavor of the week'....not really having a 'mate', so I might have to take hers away. But she's mainly harrassed by some young drakes that won't be here much longer, the rouen and runner and 1 pekin leave her alone. If anything, the crested pekin is her beau.