New duck mommy 2021
Free Ranging
Hello my question is do ducks still lay eggs after sitting 23 hours a day ?
I will give a quick background on why I’m asking
I had 2 girls and a drake we lost our one girl over a month ago so miss daisy is our only duck laying eggs. For the first 8 weeks ( sept to November) eggs were fertile but none would ever take in The incubator ( my ducks are young daisy is 7 months and peep is 5 months ) then 3-4 weeks ago she decided to make a nest and after 10 eggs and laying on them all night but not in the day I removed them replaced with chicken eggs so I wouldn’t upset her I tried to incubate them and only the one laid that morning took after that I took the new one each morning for a total of a week 6 are growing and doing well
I was advised best to take all the chicken eggs out as she may try to sit on them
The next day she made a new nest in the same area and started to lay again. This time I decided to just leave them be as I already have a staggered hatch going and she seemed really determined to do this. Each day she laid an egg and spent more time with them
4 days ago she didn’t lay an egg that morning she had 5 in the nest and by that afternoon she was sitting on them fully ( I have a camera set up to watch her ) the next day there was 6 eggs we now have 8 eggs and she has been sitting 23-23.5 hours a day for 3.5 days. I did a quick candling today and 5 have a dot the size of a dime in the middle of the yolk with a little blood vein starting so they have started so why is she still laying eggs ? Two days ago I put up a barrier between her and my drake as he is still trying to mate her and she didn’t want it. He ended up pulling feathers out of her back as she was trying to get away. He is still in the same room as her and can see in her big nesting box
They both seem settled being apart as they can still see each other. I also have been bringing him up for cuddle time as he is a bit lonely but I can’t bring in a new duck when she is nesting and stress her out. I do have a blue Swedish girl ordered for spring and I plan to keep a few of their babies so this should help for issues down the road
Everyone always thinks other ducks are putting new eggs in the broody ducks nest but maybe she is laying her own new eggs ?
Would love to hear what others have had happen
Adding pictures to show set up and daisy nesting
I will give a quick background on why I’m asking
I had 2 girls and a drake we lost our one girl over a month ago so miss daisy is our only duck laying eggs. For the first 8 weeks ( sept to November) eggs were fertile but none would ever take in The incubator ( my ducks are young daisy is 7 months and peep is 5 months ) then 3-4 weeks ago she decided to make a nest and after 10 eggs and laying on them all night but not in the day I removed them replaced with chicken eggs so I wouldn’t upset her I tried to incubate them and only the one laid that morning took after that I took the new one each morning for a total of a week 6 are growing and doing well
I was advised best to take all the chicken eggs out as she may try to sit on them
The next day she made a new nest in the same area and started to lay again. This time I decided to just leave them be as I already have a staggered hatch going and she seemed really determined to do this. Each day she laid an egg and spent more time with them
4 days ago she didn’t lay an egg that morning she had 5 in the nest and by that afternoon she was sitting on them fully ( I have a camera set up to watch her ) the next day there was 6 eggs we now have 8 eggs and she has been sitting 23-23.5 hours a day for 3.5 days. I did a quick candling today and 5 have a dot the size of a dime in the middle of the yolk with a little blood vein starting so they have started so why is she still laying eggs ? Two days ago I put up a barrier between her and my drake as he is still trying to mate her and she didn’t want it. He ended up pulling feathers out of her back as she was trying to get away. He is still in the same room as her and can see in her big nesting box
They both seem settled being apart as they can still see each other. I also have been bringing him up for cuddle time as he is a bit lonely but I can’t bring in a new duck when she is nesting and stress her out. I do have a blue Swedish girl ordered for spring and I plan to keep a few of their babies so this should help for issues down the road
Everyone always thinks other ducks are putting new eggs in the broody ducks nest but maybe she is laying her own new eggs ?
Would love to hear what others have had happen
Adding pictures to show set up and daisy nesting
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