Muscovy Ducks..Questions about hatching

[emricmacy]

I have 5 female Muscovy's and one male. They all get along GREAT! They are young ducks, and they just started laying eggs last week, which I'm very excited about! When I had chickens for a few years, I was never successful in hatching out any chicks, but I would really like to have ducklings, but have questions.
I went out last week, and there were 3 eggs, cold (live in Vermont)..and no one was sitting on them. How do I know if one is setting? I feel dumb, but I just don't know. I took the eggs away, as they were pretty cold. What do I have to do to get ducklings? Do I just not pick up the eggs and assume they are sitting? This morning, I picked up one egg that was layed this morning. Thank you in advance! I would like to be successful! All my ducks are very happy!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Muscovy will lay a clutch than go broody. Initially it is just an egg sitting there. As the pile grows they start to cover it in feathers, and add to the nest before going broody. It's good to remove them now when it's cold, but as it warms I would leave the eggs where they are and the hen should go broody.

Muscovy are vicious broodies, so be careful. They will attack when setting if disturbed. It takes 35 days to hatch, so it's a long setting period.