Muscovy won't take the ducklings - any advice?

[tams]

I have a Muscovy that has been sitting on eggs for over 5 weeks (that aren't going to hatch.) I got some ducklings and I thought she would be thrilled.

First I took out the eggs and put the 4 day old ducklings in the place. She came back and wasn't at all interested in the ducklings, but was devastated about her eggs. So after she left I put a couple of the eggs back and she went back to sitting.

I tried again, but this time I took just two ducklings and put them in straw and feathers from her nest - rubbed the smell all over them and put them in - still nothing. She wasn't interested - seemed confused.

I would like to give it one more try - does anyone have any advice? If it doesn't work, I will just take away the eggs and raise the ducklings myself.

Thanks!!

 

[sourland]

The best way to foster is to slip the ducklings under her while it is dark so that she has the evening to listen to ,feel them moving, and bond with them. This necessitates getting up at daybreak to see how she reacts to them when she/they wake up. Just placing them there while she is off the nest she goes, "What the heck are those little things."

 

[Miss Lydia]

And I wonder if 4 day old ducklings will take to her, but I would do what sourland says and try after dark.

 

[Baylor]

You do realize that they take 35 days to hatch vs the typical duck of 28 days. I would leave her with the eggs for another week.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you candle the eggs?

 

[HEChicken]

You do realize that they take 35 days to hatch vs the typical duck of 28 days. I would leave her with the eggs for another week.

If you read the original post, the poster said the hen duck has already been sitting over five weeks....

 

[tams]

Thanks, I'll try putting them in at night. I guess I could put a heat lamp in so they won't be too cold if she isn't interested. She's not going to let me get too close to put them under her but I can put them in the small area where I have her separated from the other birds. Do you think I should put in all 8 ducklings or only a couple? I will definitely be up at daybreak to check on them, but do you think I need to worry about her attacking them in the night - before she only ignored them.

I didn't candle the eggs, but they were guinea eggs so they would have hatched by now if they were going to, and it has definitely been over 35 days.

The ducklings were hatched on Monday so would be 6 days old if I do it tomorrow night.

Thanks for the advice!