Muscovy Hen Weeding Out Eggs

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Our Muscovy hen is sitting on about 18 eggs that are due to hatch on Memorial Day. She is in a small run, with her nest at one end under our chicken coop and her water in a tub at the opposite end.

This past week I found an empty egg shell underneath the raised water tub. It has been broken into, but was in one overall piece. It didn't have any contents. Today I went out to check on her and she had placed an egg into the water tub. It was broken open, but not much. I removed the egg and broke it open. There was a fairly fully developed duckling in there, but it was clear that it had not yet started moving. It still had two sizable yellow-ish sacs attached.

Is this likely her way of weeding out either "duds" or babies that have stopped developing/died? This is her first time as well as mine , so it might just be how it goes.

Also, I removed the male yesterday, to prevent any unwanted aggressiveness. Would doing this disturb the female, or is she actually relieved?

-Dave

 

[bonzak]

Our Muscovy hen will take rotten eggs out of her nest usually taking them to the water.

She has kicked out a couple of ducklings that didn't seem strong. We usually raise them for a couple of days then we give them back.

Have you candled the eggs at all I wonder if she knew the one egg wasn't developing correctly.

We usually seperate our drake before the babies are born. When she brings them out he walks along with them protecting them. Not all males are as polite to the mom or babies as he is however. Some just want to breed again.

Good luck

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Thank you Bonzak.

I haven't candled the eggs because when I built my coop/run I never envisioned needing easy access to this particular spot. Since switching over to my Muscovy pair, I've had to adjust as I go. I might be able to remove some screws and take off the side panel, but as we are only a few days away I think I might wait and see how it goes.

The egg that appeared pretty well developed might just have been dead or very weak - how they know is interesting - but all of the remaining eggs are still being sat on diligently.

I feel bad for the drake, because he is literally inches from her next, but on the other side of the hardware cloth and a thin board put up to give her privacy. He won't move from that spot, but just keeps up his panting etc. Again, it's only for a few more days until I see how everything is going, then he can rejoin his family.

Thanks again!

-Dave

 

[lovesduckies]

i had my broody scovy in my room.. yesss it wasn't very fun but at the same time it was lol. during this time my drake and i became very close cuz he was in my room with me too..

my hen hatched 7 out of 19 fertile eggs.. she just quit sitting after the 7 hatched.. i think she also knew they others wouldn't hatch. i just let her do her thing. mommy knows best!! good luck. i hope to see pictures of your babies soon

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Thanks Lovesduckies.

We just returned from a few days out of town, and so far no ducklings and no other egg rejections. When she started sitting on them I figured out that the 35 day mark was Memorial Day, but I never wrote down the actual date so I can't go back and check my math. Oye. However, I'm pretty sure that the next 24 hours are when they are due, so I'll let you know what happens fairly soon.

-Dave

 

[TK Poultry]

i noticed my first broody hen kicked out some eggs... but the chicken broody hasn't so idk

 

[lovesduckies]

Quote:
i counted wrong too. i was freaking out cuz when i thought day 35 was up.. there was another 2 days that went by untill i started hearing anything lol. i was crying cuz i thought they all died

 

[TK Poultry]

Quote:
i counted wrong too. i was freaking out cuz when i thought day 35 was up.. there was another 2 days that went by untill i started hearing anything lol. i was crying cuz i thought they all died

I count my wrong all the time I was 3 days off on my last hatch

 

[ChickaChickaBoomBoom]

Well, I guess today was the day and not yesterday. LOL. I'm glad somebody kept track. So far, it looks like there are about 6-7 ducklings hatched, one in the process, about 6-7 eggs left, and one who made it out of the egg but didn't make it beyond that. Of course, I was off the past three days but worked all day today - and for the next 5 days. Plus the rain is heading back in with a vengeance. I guess I'll be wet and tired, but I'm excited to see how it goes.

Thanks for the feedback. Oh, BTW, my drake has been sitting right next to the female, but on the outside of the run, for about 4 days now. I decided to let the doting dad in for a visit, but soon realized he didn't want to play the big daddy, he wanted to be a big daddy who played! So out he came. Poor fella. I tossed him in their pond to cool him off, then sent him out to the backyard to walk it off.

Such is life...

-Dave

 

[lovesduckies]

hahahahaha that's funny. when my drake would try to mate my hen when she'd come off the nest to eat, drink, and poop. i'd give him a cold bath to cool him off HAHAHA. poor fella. i guess he won't be in his kids lives untill they are big. will be pay child support? (idk why but i humanize my ducks lol duckyfromoz loves it). this could be a good time for you and your drake to bond. that's what happened with my drake and i. he decided i'd be his best friend while she was on the nest.