Mallards due this week!!!

[ducklover15]

My mallard hen is currently sitting on three clutches...one being hers. Her clutch is the furthest along, the second clutch should be due around the same time and the third is only 8 days along.

I candled all eggs today and I saw beaks poking through the air sacs in her clutch (!! =]), but I didn't see any in the second clutch yet and all eggs from the third are developing nicely. When her's hatch will she sit and wait for the second clutch? Or will she leave?

I have an incubator all set up and ready, but how do I know if I should take the last two clutches away?

 

[Goat_Walker]

Awww! Little fuzzy butts are fun to have around, Good luck!

 

[ducklover15]

Yay I'm so excited!

 

[Wifezilla]

If she takes the ones that hatch right away and leads them from the nest, that is when you might have to take the other eggs. She might not wait around for the others to hatch.

 

[ducklover15]

Okay I'll keep a close eye on here.

Should I just move them all into the incubator and give them back to her when they hatch?

 

[Wifezilla]

Not sure about that. You might want to try and slip them in with her at night when it is dark. Then watch closely to make sure she accepts them back.

 

[ducklover15]

Oh okay.

She's been an amazing mom so far, so I don't think she'd have too much trouble accepting them back.