I think my runners have gone BROODY?!?!

[nettie]

I 've been peeking in on my ducks during the day while they are in their pen. I've noticed at first my ducks only went in their nest box for a little while each morning to lay their eggs. Surprisingly, they got the hang of laying eggs in their box right away for easy collection. I collected the first couple, but due to me getting ready to have a major surgery on friday, i've neglected to collect them up for a little over a week. When i went to go collect the eggs two days ago, i found this:

Hmmm, i thought.... it certainly looks like a nest or a full clutch of eggs. Then I noticed that Victor (who is in fact a girl, lol) started spending more time, even during the day, in the nest box...

And then i noticed that ming mei started poking her head in spending more time in the box as well...

So i opened up the lid and of course they freaked out and ran out of the box... Their was the next, like how i saw it the other day... I left the room for a bit and came back to find both of them sitting on the nest! Right next to each other! Ming Mei was busy covering herself and the eggs with the shavings!

CRAZY!!! I mean, they are runners! Runners don't go broody! I find it esp. funny that Victor, the girl runner who was supposed to be a boy, was the first the lay and egg and then sits on a nest. lol.

So, since my ducks are sitting on a nest, will they stop laying? I was going to take away the eggs tonight esp since they are not fertile (i don't have a male), and they might rot or go bad. Will they get upset or mad at me? I was going to do it while they are walking around or taking their bath. What should i do?

 

[cluckychick]

Sounds like you need to get them some fertile eggs and swap them out

 

[Wifezilla]

Take the eggs and give them the float test. If they sink, they are fresh and you can eat them, if they float, throw them out. In between, cook them up, chop them and feed them back to the ducks.

Can you get them some fertile eggs to hatch?

I know runners aren't supposed to go broody, but they look pretty broody to me! LOL

 

[Empera]

Your runners are beautiful.

I have a question though, is that inside your house? I saw the granite and was thinking, "Man, these ducks have it made!"

haha,

 

[nettie]

lol, the marble is just vinyl stick on tiles. It was the cheapest i could get. lol.

The pen is in fact inside. My ducks live in my house most of the time.

Wifezilla, thanks for the test idea! That should work good then! I'm not sure which eggs have been in their the longest, and i know my ducks would appreciate cooking them up.

I still think it's funny that two ducks who are afraid of their eggs (they used to run away from them). And Victor is scared to death of the baby ducks i have as well. I got videos of Vic running away and trying to hop out of the tub when Peter or sammy strolls by.

 

[fowlmood]

Wow, that's a lot of eggs!

I'm jealous. You have broody runners AND green eggs. (my runner lays white eggs) You lucky duck you.

 

[Ducklove334]

I wish my runners would just LAY in the right place

they like to lay in the pond.

HOWEVER Stencil (fawn and white runner) "sorta" goes broody for a few minutes

, I've seen her several times setting on my muscovies nest, but she doesn't set long, only a few minutes. it'd be cool for her ro actually raise eggs one day, i agree though, you should get some fertile eggs and let them set, it's be cute.

 

[nettie]

so shouldi remove the eggs? do i need to leave a few? i don't want to upset them, but i kinda don't want them sitting on a nest all day, since they are indoor pets.

 

[DuckLady]

Take the eggs and make a cake.

Those are gorgeous eggs! If you want to let them get the broodiness out of their systems, give them a couple of golf balls. They won't know better.

 

[sloallie10]

i didnt know that ducks lay blue egggs!!! HOW COOL!!