Muscovy laying but not broody

[Benvoska]

I have a muscovy that has now laid 15 eggs, which seems to have taken forever, but she is still not sitting.

How long should I leave the nest alone before I remove it? Such a shame to loose the eggs, however it has been 20 days since she started laying.

I'm guessing that because she is still going back to the same next site that the nest is okay.

 

[Amiga]

I have read that Muscovies lay many eggs before sitting, I think I recall 20 or so. I hope a Mucovy person checks in soon.

 

[spish]

my girls lay A LOT before sitting..normally 15-20 eggs.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a muscovy that has now laid 15 eggs, which seems to have taken forever, but she is still not sitting.

How long should I leave the nest alone before I remove it? Such a shame to loose the eggs, however it has been 20 days since she started laying.

I'm guessing that because she is still going back to the same next site that the nest is okay.

I'd leave them a while longer. Is she sitting on them at all day or night? and how old is she?

 

[Benvoska]

This is her first season. I've only seen her on them once. My only sign of encouragement is that when I went to check and count them yesterday, she did come over. However, she might have done that thinking i was kneeling to give her food as she eats from my hands.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is her first season. I've only seen her on them once. My only sign of encouragement is that when I went to check and count them yesterday, she did come over. However, she might have done that thinking i was kneeling to give her food as she eats from my hands.

It takes mine a while to decide to brood, and they won't commit until they feel they have enough. My younger girls close to 1 year are laying but haven't decided to sit yet. so maybe they need a little more time to mature first.

 

[ian4379]

i've had birds on the first lay, lay up to 30 before sitting(i take the oldest ones away after 18 or so), as miss lydia saud just leave them be, worst case scenario is that after another couple of weeks you have a heap of eggs sitting there. they'll feather up the nest and sit on them at night for a while before commiting during the day. trust me it wont be long before your wondering what your going to do with them all.

 

[thepregnantgod]

My hens share nests so they fill up quickly - at two eggs a day, they can fill a nest of 24 eggs in less than two weeks. In my opinion, I'd keep the nest dry and if she comes back to it each day you're fine. If she stays away for a few days then I'd be tempted to take the oldest eggs and incubate them so they don't go to waste. My experience with nests have been on the larger size - 20 eggs. One of my hens hatched 36 of 41 eggs a month ago. (She got stuck sitting on a communal nest).

 

[PetesMom]

I was wondering the same thing. My girls are in their first season and Ellie's been the one to be laying the eggs. She has made a nest in the straw and everymorning I go in there, there is a new egg. We are up to 5 right now, we were throwing the eggs out because I didn't think she was sitting on them but the other day I have noticed some feathers in the straw so maybe she is getting ready?

 

[Benvoska]

Thanks guys,

I think I'll give her another week and if she hasn't started sitting I'll take some away to incubate as its already set up.