Myth or fact? It is rare for Rouen hens to go broody

[Jay-Mar28]

i have 2 what ive determined to be rouen hens and a drake. Recenly they ve began to lay but ive been removing the eggs because ive read its rare for them to sit and its still cold outside for the eggs to live. If i was to save a clutch of eggs and put them in a nest, would the hen sit?

 

[shelleyd2008]

I've heard that about several breeds but I think it depends on the individuals. I had one rouen duck set and hatch 9 ducklings last summer. If yours are laying in a community nest I wouldn't try it, but if they start laying in their own nests it wouldn't hurt to leave the eggs in there. Last summer, I waited until she had 7 eggs or so in her nest then started taking the oldest one out every day after that. When she started setting, I had a few of her eggs inside (I was hatching them myself, so I'd wait until I had at least 4 eggs before setting), so I took the ones I hadn't set yet and gave those to her as well. She started with 12 eggs. I broke one, she broke 2, and 9 of them hatched

ETA: I've had several rouens and pekins go broody, both breeds are supposedly NOT broody breeds. Some of them quit their nests, some were taken by predators, but almost all of my rouens and pekins have at least tried to hatch eggs.

 

[Illia]

Now, I have very little experience with ducks, but I will say the one Rouen I had went broody just shortly after she began laying, and hatched out about 8 little ducklings.

 

[Jay-Mar28]

Thank you for your experiance as i will try the same thing and see if it works. Secondly the warmest its been outside so far is 10'C or 50'F during the day, it drops to much colder at night. They lay the eggs in the mornings and just leave untl they lay another the following day. Wont the cold kill the fertility of the egg?

 

[shelleyd2008]

If the eggs don't freeze and crack they'll be fine, getting cold (wet, dirty, etc.) doesn't hurt them much.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

Just remember that when she is laying her first eggs that they may not be of good quality and may not start to develop at all. I would always discard the first 10 eggs laid so she has time to get her hormones right. It is also a good idea to supplement the hen with vitamins and minerals so the eggs are strong. Deficient eggs tend to die during incubation.