My ducks..pictures ... and I need some advices tio hatch eggs

[Ameer894]

Hello
What do you think? What should I do guys?
All of these ducks are brothers. Two females and one male.
What do you think about the nest? Should I take the eggs and hide them then return them to their mother to hatch?
They just start laying lately every day one egg. When the other female will start? I feel she is (the one that doesn't lay) being outcast all the time.
Please I want the eggs to hatch what should I do?
Thanks

 

[Amiga]

Ameer894, I am not a hatcher, but perhaps you can ask on this thread, there has been some good information on hatching

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/861442/when-to-help-when-to-worry

Also, you may do well to post on this thread, since it is for letting the ducks hatch the eggs

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/850706/the-broody-duck-thread-for-2014/40 this second one may be the better one to try.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello
What do you think? What should I do guys?
All of these ducks are brothers. Two females and one male.
What do you think about the nest? Should I take the eggs and hide them then return them to their mother to hatch?
They just start laying lately every day one egg. When the other female will start? I feel she is (the one that doesn't lay) being outcast all the time.
Please I want the eggs to hatch what should I do?
Thanks

Looks like someone is building their clutch and they may go broody when they feel they have enough, you know it's very hard to tell who will go and who won't but Muscovy's are known brooders so I have a feeling you will eventually have one, but I wouldn't take the eggs out. Looks like you have 6 eggs in there, what I'd do is mark the eggs with a marker, you can number them 1- that way when she does begin to sit if you don't want to leave all the eggs you can take out the oldest, once she is committed she won't care, I always remove when they have gone out to do their eating /drinking/ swimming and pooping. They like big clutches so all you can do now is wait.

 

[Ameer894]

Thanks a lot
I don't want to eat them so I'll leave everything. But isn't the nest so small to carry all the clutch of eggs?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay this is what I'd do, I'd make some kind of lip 2x4 scrap wood in front of the blocks going across where the eggs are being laid and just take that basket out of there place bedding that is inside the basket because that is her nest under that board and eggs inside of bedding placing more bedding around so she has good padding, That way when ducklings hatch they aren't falling out of baskets and not being able to get back under mama. That little area you have made is perfect for a broody nest just remove the basket. I have had ducklings fall out of nest and not be able to get back inside to get warm under mama so i let her nest with out anything other than her bedding and they do fine like that as long as they have privacy and plenty of bedding.

 

[Ameer894]

That's genius. You mean I should surround the blue nest with some wood with a shape of lip"some kind of stairs for the young babies". And you recommend too to transfer the bedding from the basket and put it under the eggs?
So that blue container is enough for the size of the clutch?!!
Thnx really I'm so thankful

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's genius. You mean I should surround the blue nest with some wood with a shape of lip"some kind of stairs for the young babies". And you recommend too to transfer the bedding from the basket and put it under the eggs?
So that blue container is enough for the size of the clutch?!!
Thnx really I'm so thankful

What I mean is take the bedding out of the blue basket and just place it where the basket is sitting the basket won't be the nest just the space where the basket it sitting. now put more bedding under and around it for good padding then take a board like a 2x4 scrap and put in front of the concrete blocks to go across the front to make a nice nesting area and keep the bedding there instead of getting scattered out on the floor,you can attache the board some how or just place something on either side to keep it from moving, once the ducklings have hatched and are a few days old mama will want to bring them out, then remove the board from in front so they can get into the nest area and out also. My ducks actually prefer just nesting material with out a box[ basket] to brood in. It's more natural to them.

 

[Ameer894]

Got that... thank you, but I fear that rain may reach the ground and so therefore the eggs... so I will work on that to make the nest a little bit high above the ground.
Natural nest... wow I need to do that
Update: my birds are keeping the good job and laying one egg every day..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Got that... thank you, but I fear that rain may reach the ground and so therefore the eggs... so I will work on that to make the nest a little bit high above the ground.
Natural nest... wow I need to do that

Update: my birds are keeping the good job and laying one egg every day..

Yay for eggs, hopefully soon you'll have a broody