Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Keeping it alive! So guess what?! Old Lady#2 seems to be laying in Old Lady#1's nest. Yesterday had 12 eggs-- today 13. & still no pic of the two sharing the nest but it is super sweet. But a bit odd.

 

[Going Quackers]

Keeping it alive! So guess what?! Old Lady#2 seems to be laying in Old Lady#1's nest. Yesterday had 12 eggs-- today 13. & still no pic of the two sharing the nest but it is super sweet. But a bit odd.

Good luck! i've had some shared nests here, they didn't end well that isn't to say yours wouldn't work just they can be dicey. My dusty is still sitting, 3wks tomorrow.. the ducklings are due to come soon, eek!

 

[Dwen]

Ducklings in six days!!

and more in 9.
I will have to snatch the earlier hatchers so she doesnt abandon the cause.
I also candled yesturday and found a new egg about five days along. She must have found it laying around and added it to the collection. What should I do with it?? its at least two weeks behind everyone else!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ducklings in six days!!

and more in 9.
I will have to snatch the earlier hatchers so she doesnt abandon the cause.
I also candled yesturday and found a new egg about five days along. She must have found it laying around and added it to the collection. What should I do with it?? its at least two weeks behind everyone else!

You may have to incubate that one to the end. or take it away now. looking forward to seeing the lil ones.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

GQ-- is today Day 30? Any peeps?! How exciting! What's your weather? Here is cold.

Well yesterday when I checked on OL's nest, it was not where it had been... When I finally found it, it had increased from 13 to 15, and actually it did look like 2 seperate clutches, so perhaps OL#2 finally has decided to sit on her own eggs. I haven't been out yet today, but I will be sure to take the camera today! I figure March 19th is our Hatch Day.

 

[Going Quackers]

GQ-- is today Day 30? Any peeps?! How exciting! What's your weather? Here is cold.

Well yesterday when I checked on OL's nest, it was not where it had been... When I finally found it, it had increased from 13 to 15, and actually it did look like 2 seperate clutches, so perhaps OL#2 finally has decided to sit on her own eggs. I haven't been out yet today, but I will be sure to take the camera today! I figure March 19th is our Hatch Day.

No, 23 and being Muscovy it could be 32 and right up to 37+ basically anywhere in the middle of March.. hard to say how the temps will effect this hatch, i've only had true spring/summer types.

Temps have dropped -5C with a windchill of -12C(so 23F feeling like 10F) but the barn is steady in + temps... she seems ok. Guess time will only tell.

 

[Apyl]

How many eggs does a mallard usually collect before sitting on them? I have a female that has collected 8 eggs so far ( not all hers, some are from the other ducks) and she goes back and forth to the coop and has the nest covered with straw right now. So anyway I'm just curious if thats a sign she'll be sitting soon. I know I'm impatient

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I would guess yes. I've seen my Pekins sit on 8 eggs up to 22 eggs. My Khaki sat on 19 last year. All the nests here are a potpouri of everybody's eggs, too! Here the Rouens don't sit Not sure about mallards.

 

[Going Quackers]

Well i don't know about Mallards specifically but that covering sounds good, I think for each breed there is a general amount that they go with but each bird can vary, My Muscovy only had 5 eggs and then sat, we haven't seen any others but we could be missing a few down deeper...

 

[Apyl]

Well so much for my mallard sitting. I went out to open the coop up today and gathered my chicken eggs, Well the nest of duck eggs were all frozen and cracked. Maybe she'll start another nest.