Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[Miss Lydia]

Well I just put the baby duckling back out with it's mom and sibs, my goodness what a difference day makes the other 3 are quite a bit bigger than the lil one that was attacked but it ran right to mom and she accepted it, They are going to be locked up till at least first of the next week. Then I'll be a nervous wreck about letting them out, especially after seeing the 6' blk snake yesterday too.
I have never had one chick or duckling lost to a snake, they have always been after the eggs.

 

[EdenCamp]

May be time to take that snake for a one-way walk to the woods.........far far away at least.

 

[DaytonDuckMom]

Well I just put the baby duckling back out with it's mom and sibs, my goodness what a difference day makes the other 3 are quite a bit bigger than the lil one that was attacked but it ran right to mom and she accepted it, They are going to be locked up till at least first of the next week. Then I'll be a nervous wreck about letting them out, especially after seeing the 6' blk snake yesterday too.
I have never had one chick or duckling lost to a snake, they have always been after the eggs.

EEEEEEKKK!! That sounds like a whole family of snakes! Is there a nest of them somewhere?

 

[DaytonDuckMom]

Well, our third hen just went broody. She is on 17 eggs and a nest that is now covered in feathers. We are about a week out from hatching a full nest with 2 sitting hens...and now this one just went. Poor bubba....he is out in the pond all alone. LOL

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, our third hen just went broody. She is on 17 eggs and a nest that is now covered in feathers. We are about a week out from hatching a full nest with 2 sitting hens...and now this one just went. Poor bubba....he is out in the pond all alone. LOL

Poor Bubba, well congrats your going to have a very large flock here one of these days. I have a chicken broody with no eggs under her took them she has already hatched this year, and my old duck brooding on an empty nest, I didn't even have to take her eggs she doesn't lay anymore. But the broody instinct is still there. Bless

 

[countrygirl74]

Well, the nest now has 12 eggs in it and this morning when I went out to check on everyone around 9a.m., my Pekin was sitting on the nest! She stayed there the entire time I worked around the chicken coop but as soon as I got to her door and opened it, she got up and wanted to go out and free-range. So... I don't know if she will really sit on them or not... She seems kind of sporadic about it - but she did make a beautiful nest. It's dug fairly deep into the ground and lined with feathers. It also appears that she is messing with and/or turning the eggs as every time I go out to check them, they are all in different positions. I was numbering the eggs as she and the other girls laid them in there so I can keep track of age.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, the nest now has 12 eggs in it and this morning when I went out to check on everyone around 9a.m., my Pekin was sitting on the nest! She stayed there the entire time I worked around the chicken coop but as soon as I got to her door and opened it, she got up and wanted to go out and free-range. So... I don't know if she will really sit on them or not... She seems kind of sporadic about it - but she did make a beautiful nest. It's dug fairly deep into the ground and lined with feathers. It also appears that she is messing with and/or turning the eggs as every time I go out to check them, they are all in different positions. I was numbering the eggs as she and the other girls laid them in there so I can keep track of age.

She may just not be ready to sit yet. Clutch may not be at the number she wants. if she has gone to the part of putting feathers in it then I'd say she is close. unless of course she is putting someone else's feathers in it. JK!

 

[DuckyGurl]

Well, today is supposedly hatch day.......nothing yet! I have noticed that some eggs have rolled away from mama's nest...just an inch or so but she isn't covering them. Any ideas why she wouldn't bring them back??

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, today is supposedly hatch day.......nothing yet! I have noticed that some eggs have rolled away from mama's nest...just an inch or so but she isn't covering them. Any ideas why she wouldn't bring them back??

Is it hot where you are she maybe cooling them. and just because this is hatch day on the calendar doesn't mean a thing to mama and her eggs, and we don't know what's going on inside they may have internally pipped can you bring a couple and candle to see what maybe going on? you may find an external pip if you examine the eggs, if you do decide to candle be sure to listen to the eggs sometimes you can hear peeping.

 

[countrygirl74]

She may just not be ready to sit yet. Clutch may not be at the number she wants. if she has gone to the part of putting feathers in it then I'd say she is close. unless of course she is putting someone else's feathers in it. JK!

Well, I think she is using all kinds of feathers, as there are Rouen feathers in there too... I haven't actually seen her take her own feathers out and put them there but she definitely grabbed a bunch and used them.