Need help understanding about how sitting and laying works with a broody duck

[Duckieduck]

I bought my broody muscovy 11 hatching eggs but this morning there was another 12th egg there. Why would that be? She stopped laying about a week ago and started sitting on her unfertilized eggs and I swapped them all yesterday for fertilized ones. Why would there be an extra egg today? I thought she wouldn't lay any more till she hatched the babies? I have other ducks in the same Quack Shack but how would they lay in her nest when she never gets off it? Can anyone explain how this all works to me please?

 

[Louise Waffles]

When my muscovy went broody, she would get off her nest to let the chickens lay eggs in her nest. She would then go back to her nest and rearrange them all to her liking, and go back to brooding. Most of the time she would patiently wait outside the nest for the chicken to finish and leave. I think a lot of times, muscovies will share their nest, and sometimes even the brooding. I know the clutch last year was very much a joint effort between a muscovy and a naked neck chicken.

 

[Duckieduck]

Wow thats amazing! My muscovy doesn't like the other (non-muscovy) ducks but maybe being broody has made her more friendly!

 

[Krazyquilts]

When my muscovy went broody, she would get off her nest to let the chickens lay eggs in her nest. She would then go back to her nest and rearrange them all to her liking, and go back to brooding. Most of the time she would patiently wait outside the nest for the chicken to finish and leave. I think a lot of times, muscovies will share their nest, and sometimes even the brooding. I know the clutch last year was very much a joint effort between a muscovy and a naked neck chicken.

Awww! That is such a sweet image!

 

[Louise Waffles]

Awww! That is such a sweet image!

My place is kind of a home for animals who mother/nurture indiscriminately. I brought home a stray pregnant cat, who just had kittens yesterday. One of my other cats is in some kind of frantic motherhood mode, trying to get these kittens to nurse on her. We had to crate the mama and kittens so they could get milk, and the second cat has absolutely lost her mind. The crying and howling! This is only the third litter of kittens I've ever had, but still. I've never seen anything like it!

 

[Krazyquilts]

That is so cute! Probably traumatic for the mama-wanna-be though, poor thing.

 

[Louise Waffles]

That is so cute! Probably traumatic for the mama-wanna-be though, poor thing.

They are co-parenting. All of her crying and scratching, I really didn't know what she'd do. Later that day I just let her in the crate, and she is just SUCH a mom. They're co-parenting! They are usually in the crate together, with the kittens...but the kittens are never alone. The non birth mother is so good at taking care of the kittens, you'd never know they weren't hers.