I became a first time duck mommy last summer with Welsh Harlequins and Khaki Campbells. Split an order with my MIL, and kept 3 WH (2 F, 1 M), 2 KC (1 M, 1 F...had to put down the KC male because of a dog attack
).
Anyway - I had been thinking about getting more, and became so excited when my 2 WH girls became broody! I wasn't sure about one nest - I never saw her get up to swim - only to eat occasionally - and she had lots of flies by her nest. Sure enough - about 30 - 35 days later I knew there was no hope, and she finally gave up and started making a new nest. She also had too many (I think it's too many) - more than 20 in there.
My other WH was in a house by the pond, and I REALLY thought she was going to hatch some out. I knew that they had to be fertile - given her "activities", and she seemed to be doing everything right from what I had read. I didn't mark the calendar when she started sitting, but had a close guess. I began to loose hope a few days ago, and sure enough - 2 days ago she threw every last egg in the pond, and started making a new nest. She had about 14 eggs in hers.
Should I be doing something to help them??? I was sure they always had food available & water, plenty of straw, but other than that, I didn't think I should do any thing.
I broke down, and became so addicted from the broody girls, that I bought a incubator - should be here by the end of the week. My son and I went out there today and CAREFULLY cleaned out every last egg we could find (some ruptured - now I know why they use the term "smell like a rotten egg"!!!). Thought I could take some for me to try, and leave some for them. I'll try to start collecting starting tomorrow.
For the ones I leave - if they go broody again - should I do something different? Is there something that could be wrong with the eggs?
I'm bummed - I had duckling fever. I was hoping to have babies by now
Sigh.
Anyway - I had been thinking about getting more, and became so excited when my 2 WH girls became broody! I wasn't sure about one nest - I never saw her get up to swim - only to eat occasionally - and she had lots of flies by her nest. Sure enough - about 30 - 35 days later I knew there was no hope, and she finally gave up and started making a new nest. She also had too many (I think it's too many) - more than 20 in there.
My other WH was in a house by the pond, and I REALLY thought she was going to hatch some out. I knew that they had to be fertile - given her "activities", and she seemed to be doing everything right from what I had read. I didn't mark the calendar when she started sitting, but had a close guess. I began to loose hope a few days ago, and sure enough - 2 days ago she threw every last egg in the pond, and started making a new nest. She had about 14 eggs in hers.
Should I be doing something to help them??? I was sure they always had food available & water, plenty of straw, but other than that, I didn't think I should do any thing.
I broke down, and became so addicted from the broody girls, that I bought a incubator - should be here by the end of the week. My son and I went out there today and CAREFULLY cleaned out every last egg we could find (some ruptured - now I know why they use the term "smell like a rotten egg"!!!). Thought I could take some for me to try, and leave some for them. I'll try to start collecting starting tomorrow.
For the ones I leave - if they go broody again - should I do something different? Is there something that could be wrong with the eggs?
I'm bummed - I had duckling fever. I was hoping to have babies by now
