Muscovies gone broody but no drake and ..no eggs!

[melissap]

I can't get my 2 muscovies out of the best nesting boxes. They have been setting for the past week but we don't have a muscovy drake (or any drake that is mating with them) and when I reach under them there is NOTHING! What should I do?

 

[sourland]

Either get some fertile eggs or lock them somewhere so that they can not get to the nest boxes in order to 'break' their broodiness.

 

[melissap]

Thanks, if I stick the eggs under her will she assume they are hers and raise them as her own?

 

[sourland]

They do not recognize eggs and will even accept the eggs of other species. You can only imagine the absolute panic of mother chicken hens with ducklings when their kids go into the water.