My duck has laid her eggs in the rabbit burrow...

[GracieJ]

Okay quick update!!

Day 12 yesterday so I candled them: some are just yellow inside which makes me believe they are just normal unfertilised eggs. Then some have a shadow on one side and I can see the air sacks!! So fingers crossed I’m hoping some hatch, but we will have to see x

 

[GracieJ]

She probably is trying to have ducklings in secret. Because she doesn't want you to take them away. If not that she could be hiding her eggs from the flock because an egg eater is mixed in. Or there could just be a bully who has scared her away. Try coaxing her out and showing you mean no harm. If she starts trusting you a bit more lead her out with treats. Good luck!

Thank you but this is her second bunch of eggs she has laid but first time in the rabbit burrow so not sure whether to dig it up and relocate the eggs and mother to a safer more accessible area

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

You could build her a temporary house for her self and move her there she could be an over protective mom. If you built her a little box out of ply wood and made sure no one else got in she might feel safer.

 

[itspebbl]

Do you have an incubator?

 

[GracieJ]

Know anyone you can borrow one from? You probably saved your ducks life by moving her something woul most likely have sniffed her out Sorry the eggs might be lost though

I have another hen but she’s young and wouldn’t understand yet. Thank you for your reassurance. It has really upset me as I think the eggs are now lost. I was so excited and can’t help think I’m so stupid and I should have just left it as it was. Hopefully she’ll have more soon x

 

[GracieJ]

Sorry it didn't work out. I also think you did the right thing. I would be afraid of what might happen to any ducklings hatched in a burrow. If there were more tunnels they may have gone down them and gotten lost.

Some people have hatched eggs under lamps. I don't know much about it but maybe you can look into it.

Thank you very much. I feel better today, you’re totally right, if they’d hatched under there it would have been a maze, they wouldn’t have been able to walk properly as the ground was very uneven under there.

I’ve put them all in a bed of straw, on top of a furry water bottle and marked each side with an x and o so I can turn them three times daily, and I have a water spritzer so I can lightly spray them with water every time I turn them. They also have a furry water bottle cover on top of them and they are nice and warm. I’m hoping this works, who knows it might or might not but it’s worth a try. I’ll candle them tomorrow (day 7) and see.

Thank you every one for all of your help! Means a lot. X

 

[Miss Lydia]