Muscovy laying to early

[scovyduck]

Hi everybody, this is my first time breeding Muscovies, or any birds for that matter, but I am slightly concerned that my duck may be laying here eggs a little to early. I live in south-eastern Wisconsin and our weather is fluctuating dramatically. Yesterday was forty and tomorrows forecast is for twenties. My Scovie's are troopers and are breeding and laying regardless of the temp. I want here to hatch a clutch of eggs but I am worried about how viable the eggs will be in these temperatures. Should I leave her to do her thing or should I discourage her from attempting to brood until the weather warms up.
Any advice would be helpful.

 

[Duckopolis]

How old is she?

 

[scovyduck]

She was born last spring and to my knowledge this is here first set of eggs.

 

[Duckopolis]

You shouldn't let ducks under a year old attempt to brood. I would wait until it warms up a bit.

 

[scovyduck]

So if I just collect the eggs daily from her nest she should lay until it warms up right?

 

[Duckopolis]

Yes, she should.

 

[scovyduck]

Cool that's what i will do thank you very much!

 

[Duckopolis]

That is what I am doing with my Mallard ducks right now.

 

[Buck Oakes]

I've had females muscovies that we're laying at 6 months but weren't broody till 7 months when I collected eggs, tey were laying in December and January when it was in the teens an I have four baby muscovies hatch in February from my incubator but the mother was very broody and would have sat on them if I didn't take them up and the male was kinda protective over the female when she was on the nest and this is outside I don't keep my ducks in a coop or cage

 

[Going Quackers]

Cold weather is a tougher time, i had a clutch hatch last March so still pretty brutal but not as bad as this one.. regardless i ended up adding heat... the mama kept the babies warm but she was cold... it worked out, all the babies lived.. almost 100% hatch rate but it was a hassle, they couldn't get outside so much cold and snow.. and foraging was put on hold whereas babies born later after a couple days go off with mama here.