My duck laid a egg

[justquackers]

i have a Muscovy drake and hen and she just laid her first egg! I'm so happy about it! The drake is putting it his mouth, mouthing it, is this normal? Is he trying to break it? I need advise.
She laid it in her nest box so I think she knows what she is doing!!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Congratulations on that first egg! You might try posting in the Duck forum for suggestions https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/42/ducks The drake shouldn't be doing it, sounds like he is curious or thinks it is something to eat since it is strange, if you aren't going to separate them you might consider giving her a covered nesting box or one more secluded so he doesn't have such easy access to the eggs (and you want to let her collect a clutch)... you might also try what they do for hens that are egg eaters, put some fake eggs in the nesting box, that way he won't learn they can be eaten and might just get bored with playing with it.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[justquackers]

Thank you, how long should she be sitting?
How many eggs will she have before she really sits and stays on eggs?

 

[drumstick diva]

If she is sincere about wanting to sit, she will stay for the duration till they hatch. But for now, she probably will add to the total before she gets down to work . I think it would be prudent to keep her away from the drake. She has an open nest and while she isn't laying or sitting, he has a chance to destroy the eggs. Maybe he thinks he is too young to be saddled with ducklings. You can never tell.