Mandarin Momma

[ArchBarn28]

At least one of my Mandarin females is laying in their nesting boxes. They seem to have been laying for over a week. I'm worried that they are not broody enough. Anytime I check on them they are out and about, swimming, mating, sunning. Will they ever sit full time or are they just awful Mommas?

 

[MGG]

At least one of my Mandarin females is laying in their nesting boxes. They seem to have been laying for over a week. I'm worried that they are not broody enough. Anytime I check on them they are out and about, swimming, mating, sunning. Will they ever sit full time or are they just awful Mommas?

They're just building up their clutch. They like to lay at least a dozen eggs or so before deciding to seriously sit, some won't sit until they have 20 eggs or so! They should start sitting once they're happy with their clutch size. The eggs won't begin to develop until she starts to sit.

 

[ArchBarn28]

They're just building up their clutch. They like to lay at least a dozen eggs or so before deciding to seriously sit, some won't sit until they have 20 eggs or so! They should start sitting once they're happy with their clutch size. The eggs won't begin to develop until she starts to sit.

Thank you for the speedy reply! How long do they lay before they sit? It seems like they have been laying for so long! I'm obviously afraid they will just abandon the eggs.

 

[MGG]

Thank you for the speedy reply! How long do they lay before they sit? It seems like they have been laying for so long! I'm obviously afraid they will just abandon the eggs.

No problem! I'm just beginning my exotic waterfowl keeping journey, so I am not too experienced yet, but I have some Wood ducks and I imagine that they're very similar. How many eggs are in the box now?
If you want to, you can pull the eggs and artificially incubate them.

 

[ArchBarn28]

No problem! I'm just beginning my exotic waterfowl keeping journey, so I am not too experienced yet, but I have some Wood ducks and I imagine that they're very similar. How many eggs are in the box now?
If you want to, you can pull the eggs and artificially incubate them.

Not sure I'm going to check again today...

 

[MGG]

Not sure I'm going to check again today...

Ok.

 

[Ram13]

They won't sit till they have a clutch.That could take weeks.You will know when they start to sit because thats when they will line the nest with feathers.I do have some mandarin eggs in the incubator right now but its because my 1 hen started and abandoned the nest.Kind of my fault.I have tried other eggs other years and had complete fails.Give them time.

 

[ArchBarn28]

Thanks for the info.. I know incubating isn't the optimum thing but I'd hate to lose any ducklings if momma has abandoned them.. How will I know if she/they have abandoned the nest or are still laying?

 

[Ram13]

I give them a few days.If they don't lay or start sitting i take them.My cinnamon was on her 3rd nest so i put the rest in incubator.Now today her nest was torn up again.If she starts another i will take those.I have been waiting a week or more before i take them.

 

[wilwingswaterfowl]

I pulled my 3 wood duck eggs because they were 9 days old and she hadn't been in the box in 3 or 4 days. So I put them under my Hooded that was starting to sit. Another duck will hatch better than my incubator. The 3 brown eggs art the Wood duck eggs.