Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[Blondiega1]

Miss Lydia~ 7 out of 7 hatched. I can't seem to post any pictures here. I click on the picture icon and I select the pic I want and it loads and I hit submit....but nothing happens. Not sure what I'm doing wrong?? I'm also not sure how to quote other posts to put within my reply post....I click on the quote button but nothing happens.
Yes the other adult ducks seem kinda interested in what's happening on the nest (it's deep in a clump of yucca plants) but the ducklings haven't come out yet so will have to keep a close eye on them when they emerge...I'm thinking she will take them out maybe yet today or tomorrow? Will they know when to follow her when she gets off the nest? Or will she have to coax them? They seem happy to stay right there. Will she call to them to follow? It's hot out there and I assume the babies will need water soon.

Congratulations!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was having problem with IE uploading pics so I used Chrome for loading my pics up. That is one reason I like to keep my mama and ducklings separated for a 2-3 week time but where everyone can see each other the ducklings need time to gain strength and be able to keep up, if one gets left behind that is when they are vunerable to one of the other flock members. I'm not trying to scare you but newly hatched ducklings are very slow at following directions for at least a week or 2. And some mamas are better at keeping them close than others.

 

[Blondiega1]

Delilah hasn't left the nest for dinner.
At least not yet.
The other ducks have come and gone and she's still sitting.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Delilah hasn't left the nest for dinner.
At least not yet.
The other ducks have come and gone and she's still sitting.

Well that makes it exciting.

 

[Blondiega1]

Well that makes it exciting.

Ugh!!
My poor heart can't take much more!

 

[tull14]

When is a good time to candle the eggs for the first time? I've read multiple answers to this question. It will have been 7 days since I have seen my broody sitting on her eggs. Yesterday I got home early and caught her off the nest and counted a total of 15 eggs holy cow... I hope we at least get something out of this. If I candle eggs it won't deter my mama from sitting???

 

[Miss Lydia]

When is a good time to candle the eggs for the first time? I've read multiple answers to this question. It will have been 7 days since I have seen my broody sitting on her eggs. Yesterday I got home early and caught her off the nest and counted a total of 15 eggs holy cow... I hope we at least get something out of this. If I candle eggs it won't deter my mama from sitting???

Good time to candle is around 7 day, and do it while she is off the nest, if you don't get to all of them then use a washable marker and mark the ones you did get to with just an X or and O then when she off next time you'll be able to do the rest. Looking forward to hearing what you see. I usually don't let mine have that many to sit since space is limited so I can gather mine in a basket and carry to my feed room where it's dark and candle and have them back before she comes back.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ugh!!
My poor heart can't take much more!

I know it's hard sitting there watching and waiting..

 

[chickarooo]

I was wondering if u could put chicken eggs as well as duck eggs under a broody muscovy?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was wondering if u could put chicken eggs as well as duck eggs under a broody muscovy?

you could but chicken eggs aren't as tough as duck eggs and may get broken or if any did hatch would have to be taken away or first time mom took everyone to water the chicks would drown trying to follow mom.