Mother duck doesn't get off nest

[kgeorge]

I have a cayuga duck on eggs but for the past day or two she has not gotten off the eggs at all. Her food and water have not been disturbed. Should I be concerned or is she on lock down??

 

[Oregon Blues]

That's normal. It's one reason you want to keep your waterfowl in good healthy weight all the time, so the ducks have some reserves to live of off.

She will be off the nest once a day to grab a quick bite and get some water. They often won't come off the nest for the first couple of days.

Ducks know by instinct how to hatch their eggs the correct way. Keep food and water available for her and stop worrying about it. Also, I suggest that you try not to disturb her.

If it is possible to have some water available for her to get into and get her belly wet, she will carry water (dampness) to her nest to increase the humidity of the eggs. If that is not possible, don't fret. Eggs will still hatch.

 

[kgeorge]

Thank you very much. That's a relief to hear. Mom duck made her nest in a plastic dog house on my deck that I use for cats to sleep in in the winter months and I was afraid that once the eggs hatched that she wouldn't be able to protect her babies so I moved her, dog house and all, into a secure area with lots of food and water. Again, thanks for the reply...

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Quote:
This is the first year I have raised Muscovy ducks and boy do they know how to hatch out....I was a bit concerned because one duck went on the nest and was on it for so long I started to wonder if she was dead, but I have raised chickens all my life and know they don't always come off the nest for a while..so I was patient...well one hen came off with 23 babies and the other came off with 13 and I have one hen on 12/13 eggs and due to hatch next month at some point....