Poor mamas. They dont know that the eggs that they are on arent fertile. So, I have been using one of them to incubate chicken eggs. Well, they are due to hatch in 2 days so I am going to sneak in and take them from her when she gets up for her next drink. My other duck got off her nest (that she made in the middle of the paddock under some wild chicory) with yellow goo all over her breast. She ran for the pond to get it off and I took a peek at the nest. Those arent eggs! They are stink bombs waiting to go off. One of which was all over her. So, those will have to go later today too. She had snuck this nest and just started setting them a couple days ago. I was hoping that she would give up on her own but Noooo.... Poor girls are going to have a FIT!
I hate doing that! I take the babies from the moms right after they hatch - unless the mama is a good one and lets me handle her babies. They have a fit for about an hour and then start foraging with the flock again. I recently had to demolish a nest that was all bad eggs. I scrubbed the house out and put in all fresh hay, but mama had a royal FIT!
When you say they have a fit what do they do? I'm raising my first ducks and they're just 10 weeks old or so but I want to be prepared!
They hit you with their wings, nip you, and yell at you. They usually don't cause too much damage though.
My gals run around the yard with their feathers all ruffles screaming at everyone and chasing the other ducks around the yard.
A mad mama duck usually just throws what you would call a hissy fit. You hear him fussing and cussing in duck, quacking around looking for their babies or eggs, may pick on you or other ducks for a bit to vent out frustration... I have a mama muscovy with 8 babies right now running loose and if I catch one of them babies, she gives me a warning, she just hisses and does the 'happy feet stomp' and clicks her beak...If the baby is still fussing in a minute she throws them wings and will whack my legs and if I STILL don't give up her baby she then resorts to biting. She is an awesome mama. She about killed a chicken who pecked one of her babies the other day...X_x muscovy mama has a big old austrolop hen by the wing SHAKING it like a dog...but it was all over and the hen running off looking alittle worse for wear and the mama duck all proud with a beak full of black feathers.
Round one is complete. While mama was on the pond, we took apart her nest and locked the door to where it was so she cant get in there. The chicken eggs from it are in the bator now with 48 hours til pip. (i hope) I confess, as soon as I saw her coming from the pond, I hauled! So, I have no idea who she took her wrath out on. Round two will occur later this evening when we dismantle the bomb filled nest. Wish me luck!
Good luck! I have an old old gas mask (but it works!) want to borrow it? Just be GENTLE...for god sakes don't trip when carrying the bucket!
