Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah we caught a huge one last night I just went to check on her shes sitting on them hopefully she settled down some. Hatch dsy is August 30

 

[melissamerry]

I'm hoping you guys can help me out

My White Mallard made a nest outside of her run. She's a year old and this is the first time I've let her keep her eggs. From earlier attempts, when I take her eggs, she makes a new nest else where so my initial thought was to wait until she's done laying her clutch and then try to move it into her run when she decided it was time to sit.

I've been watching her for about a week, taking note on her trends. She lays an egg and sits on it for an hour or so and then joins my other two ducks in destroying my tomato plants. From readings, I've gathered that mallards generally will lay between 8 and 12 eggs before they decide it's time to sit. Well. today was egg number nine and she sat on it for a good four hours. I took that as a sign that she's ready.

I made her a nesting box and covered it in the same bush material that her real nest is in. I used dirt, hay and leaves to mimic her nest.

I kneeled down in front of her bush and coaxed her out with dry cat food. While she nibbled I transferred the eggs. When she saw what I was doing she made a quacking noise that I had never heard before. It was a depressing squeak that made me feel so horrible. I picked her up and put her on her new nest and calmed her down. After I carried her to her run, she poked around the nest a bit and then left it. I tried a few more times to get her to stay in the box, but she always leaves.

I left her alone for a few hours, hoping she would take to the nest, but hasn't yet.

Any tips or advice on how to get her back on her nest?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Others might have other/better advice, but sorry to say I think she may abandon those eggs. The only time I've moved a nest successfully the mom immediately sat right back down as soon as I was done. Next time I think you will be better off encouraging her to start laying where you want her to sit for the long haul. I'd leave them for awhile, see if she comes around, if not, you might have to try again in the Spring. Or incubate her eggs yourself.

On another note, my Rouen is getting bored I think. She left the nest for ab out 6hours today and then a second time when I fed the flock.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm hoping you guys can help me out

My White Mallard made a nest outside of her run. She's a year old and this is the first time I've let her keep her eggs. From earlier attempts, when I take her eggs, she makes a new nest else where so my initial thought was to wait until she's done laying her clutch and then try to move it into her run when she decided it was time to sit.

I've been watching her for about a week, taking note on her trends. She lays an egg and sits on it for an hour or so and then joins my other two ducks in destroying my tomato plants. From readings, I've gathered that mallards generally will lay between 8 and 12 eggs before they decide it's time to sit. Well. today was egg number nine and she sat on it for a good four hours. I took that as a sign that she's ready.

I made her a nesting box and covered it in the same bush material that her real nest is in. I used dirt, hay and leaves to mimic her nest.

I kneeled down in front of her bush and coaxed her out with dry cat food. While she nibbled I transferred the eggs. When she saw what I was doing she made a quacking noise that I had never heard before. It was a depressing squeak that made me feel so horrible. I picked her up and put her on her new nest and calmed her down. After I carried her to her run, she poked around the nest a bit and then left it. I tried a few more times to get her to stay in the box, but she always leaves.

I left her alone for a few hours, hoping she would take to the nest, but hasn't yet.

Any tips or advice on how to get her back on her nest?

If you have a large dog crate or something you can lock her into with her nest and eggs secluded and safe there is still the chance. and block off where she was laying somehow or she may just go back there. They sure are fickle when it comes to brooding. But better to be safe than sorry.

 

[melissamerry]

Thank you for the advice. I think hollyduckfarmer is right. I tried locking her in. She wasn't too happy about that, neither were her two companions.

Unfortunately, I'm going out of town for the rest of the week so the boyfriend is in charge of their well being. He's not keen on the idea of more ducklings so I don't think he'll try very hard to get her to sit. I bet he already made a huge omelette.

Oh we'll, guess we'll just have to wait til next spring!

 

[laughingdog]

Hello, got a muscovy pair July first that were supposedly maybe about year old, were the hen duck had just started laying (though the egg in the pen with them looked like sister duck's eggs that were ready to hatch). she started laying on seventh, and started brooding firm right after fifteenth egg was laid. from carruncling on face id say she isn't very mature, and dropped ton of weight that had had put on in time between when got the pair and she started laying. her egg/ grabbed from edge of nest to candle, are developing it seems, as last night saw what look like googly eyeys bouncing around in the one could pry away from her.

Her sister had clutch of dozen eggs in nest in barn, that were ready to hatch still and alive, even though cold filthy with mud manure rotting greens, and mother had abandoned and flew off at least two to four days ago but probly more of a week he said right before weekend before, cause one of dogs killed all but those three ducks.

question is.. is it safe for her to be let to go broody so long to hatch this clutch (don't figure they'll make it but figured practice good for hopeful spring clutch to brood up)?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello, got a muscovy pair July first that were supposedly maybe about year old, were the hen duck had just started laying (though the egg in the pen with them looked like sister duck's eggs that were ready to hatch). she started laying on seventh, and started brooding firm right after fifteenth egg was laid. from carruncling on face id say she isn't very mature, and dropped ton of weight that had had put on in time between when got the pair and she started laying. her egg/ grabbed from edge of nest to candle, are developing it seems, as last night saw what look like googly eyeys bouncing around in the one could pry away from her.

Her sister had clutch of dozen eggs in nest in barn, that were ready to hatch still and alive, even though cold filthy with mud manure rotting greens, and mother had abandoned and flew off at least two to four days ago but probly more of a week he said right before weekend before, cause one of dogs killed all but those three ducks.

question is.. is it safe for her to be let to go broody so long to hatch this clutch (don't figure they'll make it but figured practice good for hopeful spring clutch to brood up)?

She is very pretty, is she getting off the nest to eat? keep food close by and maybe feed her some extra protein dried mealworms or just game bird feed also some peas for extra calcium. And sure hope to see some ducklings hatching for you. When is hatch day?

 

[Weezy58]

Our first-time Swedish mama is hatching a duckling about every other day. Is this normal? She's on a clutch of eight eggs. The ones that have hatched so far seem sturdy and were quick to eat and drink. We put them in a brooder since mama seems more interested in the remaining eggs than the ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Our first-time Swedish mama is hatching a duckling about every other day. Is this normal? She's on a clutch of eight eggs. The ones that have hatched so far seem sturdy and were quick to eat and drink. We put them in a brooder since mama seems more interested in the remaining eggs than the ducklings.

I love the colors, not heard of hatching ducklings every other day, sounds like someone was laying eggs in mamas nest after she started brooding.

 

[Weezy58]

That's possible! In fact, there were even a few chicken eggs in there that we removed. Dad was a Black Swedish, mom a Blue.