Muscovy duck trying to nest

[DrChickenKev]

Hi

Just looking to pick everyone's brains

Couple questions:

First, an easy one; the muscovies are starting to have their 'special cuddles' again and I wanted to confirm that once mated how many eggs a duck can fertilise before mating again...

Second, in a number of parts; one of our free-ranging muscovy ducks, who is laying and mating, is trying to build a nest in the bramble and hawthorn bushes - which isnt the best place as she's not protected from wildlife, I am fed up of gettting stuck by thorns and she wont be nesting on them during the night... So, I am thinking of locking her in her own pen to lay, say, half dozen eggs or so and then sit on them

The other thing Ive just thought is that we have had an egg a day for past 6 days and I could lock her in with those as well, as Im assuming that with all the 'special cuddling' thats been going on, they will be fertilised too...??

Or am I kidding myself

 

[sourland]

Relatively high fertility should remain up to two weeks after mating, some fertility after 3 weeks and slight fertility up to 4 weeks. Since your ducks are probably together full time, all of her eggs should have been fertilized. By penning her you MAY be able to force her to relocate her nest site. Once they have picked a site they can be quite stubborn about changing. Good luck.

 

[DrChickenKev]

Ok, so I am now Mr Unpopular with the ducks... we have 1 drake and 3 hens (mother, mistress and daughter)

Mistress has taken over dominance from mother, and is trying to nest, so ive put her in her own pen with 5 eggs I funbd from her latest nest (thorns and scars to prove!!!), with drake alongside in his seperate pen, and mum and daughter together in another, but so all can see each other.

Its day two, but they are all getting used to the new set up, just waiting for mistress to settle down hoepfully...

Will let you know what goes on

 

[ian4379]

i recently found a scientific article(cant find the link) that found that ducks have a "storage" area that after mating can store enough sperm for 10 days, possilby 20! having said that i have seperate pens for ducks and rotate a drake through every 3 days, seems to have worked well.

 

[DrChickenKev]

Relatively high fertility should remain up to two weeks after mating, some fertility after 3 weeks and slight fertility up to 4 weeks. Since your ducks are probably together full time, all of her eggs should have been fertilized. By penning her you MAY be able to force her to relocate her nest site. Once they have picked a site they can be quite stubborn about changing. Good luck.

Thanks, we're a couple days in but she has already re-arranged her eggs in the 'new' nest I've made her and buried them in the bedding, which I think is a good sign, and another positive is that she seems to be spending more and more time in the 'nest' during the day, so hopefully she is getting ready to nest down; I was going to move th eggs and bedding to count the eggs and see if there were any more since I locked her in her pen, but dont think I'll chance it yet

 

[DrChickenKev]

i recently found a scientific article(cant find the link) that found that ducks have a "storage" area that after mating can store enough sperm for 10 days, possilby 20! having said that i have seperate pens for ducks and rotate a drake through every 3 days, seems to have worked well.

Thanks, it would be really helpful if we could find the article, I'll google it later too, however, I have no doubt the current ones are fertile due to the amount of 'special cuddling' (its how we explain it to our young boys) thats been going on; but if they stay fertile for up to 10 days I'm guessing she could lay another 10 eggs on top of what she has already...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks, it would be really helpful if we could find the article, I'll google it later too, however, I have no doubt the current ones are fertile due to the amount of 'special cuddling' (its how we explain it to our young boys) thats been going on; but if they stay fertile for up to 10 days I'm guessing she could lay another 10 eggs on top of what she has already...

yep.

 

[DrChickenKev]

yep.

That's helpful, thanks....

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's helpful, thanks....

I have 1 that has 5 in her nest right now I just went and marked them so when she starts to sit I will take out some so I am not over run with ducklings. I'll take out the oldest.

 

[DrChickenKev]

I have 1 that has 5 in her nest right now I just went and marked them so when she starts to sit I will take out some so I am not over run with ducklings. I'll take out the oldest.

Does it not disturb her too much if you go poking around?? I must admit I checked today and madam has 'placed' them in a circle in her bedding and there is an extra egg for the past two days as well