Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[Miss Lydia]

My 2 year pekin. Spots is sitting on 15 eggs. Most are muscovy. Cant tell if any are hers they all look about the same. Today is day 2

What is she nesting in?

 

[wazzy]

Its a speaker box. The black spot arent mold it's the material that didnt peel off.

 

[jdywntr]

Well its official. My muscovy mom abandoned her single baby. Baby took up with my broody. So, at least it will have some siblings (hopefully) next week. I don't think she had any part of "taking" the baby. I think it was looking for a warm spot and found her. On warmer days I find her on her nest and baby sitting on her back. On cold days, it is tucked under her. She isn't covering her eggs as well now with baby so I hope it doesn't affect the hatch too much.

I'm debating when I should look for more fosters for her. I don't want to miss out on getting any but I don't want her to completely lose interest in the nest if there are a number of babies under her.
Arghh. What was I thinking letting them all go broody in the winter? Now nobody is even laying.

I did build a cooler incubator as my chickens don't seem intent on assisting with incubation and the neighbor's dog killed one of my last 3 broody breeds. So, I may have chicks hatching in a few weeks.

 

[Going Quackers]

Well its official. My muscovy mom abandoned her single baby. Baby took up with my broody. So, at least it will have some siblings (hopefully) next week. I don't think she had any part of "taking" the baby. I think it was looking for a warm spot and found her. On warmer days I find her on her nest and baby sitting on her back. On cold days, it is tucked under her. She isn't covering her eggs as well now with baby so I hope it doesn't affect the hatch too much.

I'm debating when I should look for more fosters for her. I don't want to miss out on getting any but I don't want her to completely lose interest in the nest if there are a number of babies under her.
Arghh. What was I thinking letting them all go broody in the winter? Now nobody is even laying.

I did build a cooler incubator as my chickens don't seem intent on assisting with incubation and the neighbor's dog killed one of my last 3 broody breeds. So, I may have chicks hatching in a few weeks.

Ugh, that sucks! but as you said at least you have a back up! i am a touch worried dusty was restless today, came out twice.. she covered the eggs when she left and wasn't gone for a half hour or anything, and i know they do come off just... oye the stress! I hope this works, i am setting the stall up this weekend in prep.

I am getting two eggs a day now, someone new is laying... probably the almost 9mth old? although could be the 7mth olds either way it's a large/x-large chicken egg size so i know it's a newbie.

I have no clue what to suggest to you, i have no way of getting extras around here quickly, the feed mills are orders only. so i could never just add on so to speak. That is terrible about the chicken being lost, so annoying.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

JW- sorry to hear abt your chicken...

I hope your neighbors made things right with you. I have no experience to offer, but I would guess if your broody has accepted the baby, I might just leave them. Does she have lots of straw for her nest?

Ok, I have to give an update here. My pen is a wreck with snow melt and the extra water that I toss after I clean the waterer. This time of year rather irritates me-- melt or freeze, just one or the other please. But mud, standing water -- Disgusting. Sorry for the rant but that's how it is.

Update on the Old Ladies (#1&#2): OL#1 is sitting on an even dozen today. I expect her hatch in 14 days... And best of all, I just candled and I definitely saw 4 eyeballs! Two were moving

And I saw one embryo moving its foot! I told the fam, it is nearly as exciting as being pregnant and getting an ultrasound. (They think i am crazy!) So amazing to see life like that. Anyway, I'm not touching anymore eggs after this. So OL#2: She is sitting upon 3 eggs. Only one had good blood vessel development. And my younger gal, only 5 out of 12 with blood vessel development, the rest appear unfertilized. 10 ducklings will be a lot for me to deal with, but still under capacity. And I've already got takers on the list too. I think I forgot how exciting this part of the process is!

 

[jdywntr]

Thanks GQ. Baby seems to be doing fine. Eggs are due to hatch on Monday. I did candle them the other day but I'm not good at telling whats going on in there this late in the process. I'm still back and forth about possibly adding more babies. I do have to go into town today and will be by the TSC so I'll probably check if they have ducklings. They only had gotten one shipment of ducklings in and they all sold quickly. They aren't getting them weekly so maybe this week they'll have some. I hope Dusty does a better job than mine. I've seen my current broody going out to the creek to bathe every few days. She takes the hike out there instead of using the kiddie pool thats just outside of the coop.

Thanks HDF. This was the second time the dogs came here. Neighbor compensated me, is getting rid of the one and the police shot the other when they went to tell him I'd filed a complaint. I kind of feel bad but not really. I'd have shot them if I got to them before they left our property. Some people just shouldn't have dogs. Congrats on the eggs. It is exciting. My hubby is tired of hearing about things and keeps aking me to stop saying broody because the word seems weird to him.

 

[Dwen]

How are everyone's hatches going?
Taffy and I are having a rough time of it. Eggs expected to hatch last monday and then thursday, were days late. Thursday a donated chicken egg hatched, but he didn't last the night. I suspect a hatching complication. A borrowed mallard egg hatched sometime Thursday night, and then a WH egg hatched this morning. When I went down to check on them this afternoon, I found the little mallard, dead, in a corner of their nesting box. He looked crushed. I have decided to leave the WH duckling in with mom for the night because there might still be a viable egg in the nest, and if I take him, she will leave it. I hope that last egg hatches so the little guy will have a nest mate, but in case it does not, will he be alright by himself with mom?

on a happier note, I set 11 chicken eggs in my home-made still air today. Easter hatch!

 

[bellah1]

My runner girl had made a nest with quite a few eggs so we marked them and started taking the fresh ones out as she laid. We incubated 8 but one was a double yolker so 7 are doing awesome and on day 17 in the incubator. She was only sitting on the nest in the morning and then just stopped all together. She's my first runner girl & everyone keeps saying oh they never set & hatch their own eggs, not even if they make a nest. Well she made a second nest with 14 eggs more secluded this time and has been sitting on it for 12hrs without a break that I've seen, so if she has taken one it was a short one. My question how many of you all have had your runner sit and hatch her own ducklings??

 

[Going Quackers]

Thanks GQ. Baby seems to be doing fine. Eggs are due to hatch on Monday. I did candle them the other day but I'm not good at telling whats going on in there this late in the process. I'm still back and forth about possibly adding more babies. I do have to go into town today and will be by the TSC so I'll probably check if they have ducklings. They only had gotten one shipment of ducklings in and they all sold quickly. They aren't getting them weekly so maybe this week they'll have some. I hope Dusty does a better job than mine. I've seen my current broody going out to the creek to bathe every few days. She takes the hike out there instead of using the kiddie pool thats just outside of the coop.

Thanks HDF. This was the second time the dogs came here. Neighbor compensated me, is getting rid of the one and the police shot the other when they went to tell him I'd filed a complaint. I kind of feel bad but not really. I'd have shot them if I got to them before they left our property. Some people just shouldn't have dogs. Congrats on the eggs. It is exciting. My hubby is tired of hearing about things and keeps aking me to stop saying broody because the word seems weird to him.

Glad the babe is doing ok. I imagine they'd sell out quickly, here most farm supplies are pre-order so even if there are chicks/ducklings in the store they are sold. The TSC are taking orders but earliest delivery is April.

Super annoying about those dogs, it's not really their fault owners should learn to keep them on their own property. Sounds like it's well under control though! Good luck with the other eggs!

 

[Going Quackers]

How are everyone's hatches going?
Taffy and I are having a rough time of it. Eggs expected to hatch last monday and then thursday, were days late. Thursday a donated chicken egg hatched, but he didn't last the night. I suspect a hatching complication. A borrowed mallard egg hatched sometime Thursday night, and then a WH egg hatched this morning. When I went down to check on them this afternoon, I found the little mallard, dead, in a corner of their nesting box. He looked crushed. I have decided to leave the WH duckling in with mom for the night because there might still be a viable egg in the nest, and if I take him, she will leave it. I hope that last egg hatches so the little guy will have a nest mate, but in case it does not, will he be alright by himself with mom?

on a happier note, I set 11 chicken eggs in my home-made still air today. Easter hatch!

That's too bad. Yeah, a singular should be ok.. just watch it'll depend how dedicated mama is, dusty(the bird due now) had two but only one lived, she raised it.. good luck with your Easter hatch!