Muscovy Nest next to road

[TeePants]

There's a small 'flock' of muscovy ducks that call the drainage ditch down one of the streets in my neighborhood home. I'm not entirely sure if they belong to that neighbor, as they're allowed to free range, but one of them decided to lay her nest on the top of the canal pipe between some broken pieces of concrete RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD!

The last time we saw her she was setting and it was clear from the number of eggs and her apparent broodiness she was done laying (not sure how long she'd been sitting on them), but when I came by today (a few days later) she was several yards away from the nest. I'm worried the location scared her off (lots of cars, foot traffic, and people walking dogs) and she may have abandoned the nest, but I've also read that muscovys are pretty sensitive about having their nests disturbed so I don't want to handle them. However, if she truly abandoned them and any of them are still viable I'd happily pop them in the incubator.

Should I candle a few or should I leave them be? I was thinking of maybe going by closer to sunset to see if she'd returned since that's when the temperature & humidity will really drop and might cause her to return.

 

[TeePants]

Nevermind, she made it back. Still, not a great place to lay eggs, lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nevermind, she made it back. Still, not a great place to lay eggs, lol.

Nope it sure isn't, maybe you can keep an eye on her for when the ducklings are hatched to make sure all is well. They do come off the nest everyonce in a while to eat and bathe thats how they keep the humidity up on their eggs.

 

[TeePants]

Yeah I will be keeping an eye on her! I wonder how far along they are.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah I will be keeping an eye on her! I wonder how far along they are.

Well it takes 35-37 days for Muscovy ducklings to hatch so may take a while. Keep us updated on progress.

 

[TeePants]

Well, we went by again today and I realized I was wrong to think cars, dogs and wild animals were the only things to worry about...

There is a little inlet with some mobile homes right next to the canal, and apparently there are a bunch of fairly young kids there- we saw them trying to catch turtles out of the ditch when we walked the dogs today. They were literally a yard or two away from the female's nest, but luckily she was home. I don't know, I'm worried they'll either try to take some or knock them out of the nest or something and disturb the female if they see she has a nest full of eggs. Then again, perhaps they already know and just know better than to mess with them...

 

[TeePants]

Good news! It looks like the eggs did fine, and not only that, but there were two other hidden nests and now there is a small army of muscovy ducklings huddling around! I will try and take pics today.

Bad news - DH won't let me have any.

He says we've already ordered our chicks for August, and I have to wait.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good news! It looks like the eggs did fine, and not only that, but there were two other hidden nests and now there is a small army of muscovy ducklings huddling around! I will try and take pics today.

Bad news - DH won't let me have any.

He says we've already ordered our chicks for August, and I have to wait.

Aww baby ducklings, too bad dh won't let you have a few, they make wonderful pets.

 

[TeePants]

Yeah, but I guess I understand his reasoning. We have 6 chicks on the way come August, and we're still getting the coop/run ready for them. I keep telling him baby ducklings have to stay in a brooder in the garage anyway for the first few weeks but he's not buying it.

 

[heatherscreations1969]

Why do our DH's always spoil our fun, miserable kill joy's

*hugs* Heather x