Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Ok, day 3 for my Khaki Campbell, one of my best sitters last year. Right back under the ramp this year but both the brooder stalls are occupied. Anyway, this afternoon Khaki went out, so I decided to check things out. She has 14 eggs and some were right on the concrete floor, even tho the entire area has 6" minimum straw bedding. So I carefully removed her eggs, added straw, put the eggs back. Whoa, that was not well received. She left the best for nearly 3hrs. Finally I just grabbed her up and walked her right back to her nest and somehow she decided to sit again. I just read JW's post over on the other thread about 15-20 minutes is ok, now I'm really worried about those eggs. (remember, last year I moved her nest with a shovel, and all was fine)

 

[jdywntr]

Today, I was able to check a nest that one of my Muscovy hens had made. It's in their house but, as some may know, I recently started working again and my hours are EARLY. So, I think last week, I marked about 10 eggs that had been laid. Today, my first opportunity, I checked the nest which was FULL of eggs. I took the older already marked eggs out and left 12 new and 3 previously marked eggs. This was at about 430pm and I had just taken out an evening meal so everyone had come out but the eggs were warm.

Then, I found a hidden nest, 4 VERY well buried eggs. I put some bedding material in there and a tote (that I use for nests) over the spot. I checked when I was putting everyone up and I saw that one of the hens was on the first nest. 3 of my hens are virtually identical so 2 have colored leg bands, pink and green, and the other is momma, my broody who hatched 13 in December. It turns out that it is "Pink" that is on the nest. This is my hen that abandoned her single hatchling after 5 or 6 days. So, I figure, since the weather will be better, I'll see what happens this time. I don't know if she will be a bad mom or if 1 duckling wasn't enough for her to bother to mother the first time. I do still have 1 hen who has not attempted to go broody.

I don't know who had started the other nest, we'll see. So far, 3 of my 4 muscovy hens have gone broody and 2 have been great moms.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I hope Pink has a better go of things this time around! I was thinking about the possibility of a buried egg spot here, no eggs from my 3 non sitters for days, so I'm wondering if I might find some when I get the hay bale wind block totally moved out if I'll find them. I suppose if I do I will totally be copying your tote idea JW! Do you think a clear one (thinking about a rubbermaid cube I have on hand) would work or should they be opaque?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I was right, today I found that Rouen of mine sitting on I think 19 eggs! Right under a straw bale that I've been using as a wind block. Iiii-yi-yi.... I want to take those eggs away. But I'll think about it. This is her 1st time broody.

On another note, I think I heard peeps from under my Pekin! Which will keep me away from TSC! Haven't checked yet tho.

 

[Doug Hodges]

Why would you take them away?

 

[bellah1]

So i posted a couple weeks ago about my broody runner nesting and setting in the brambles in my yard. I moved her into the coop with her eggs and she took them back to a different nest in the yard. Today should be hatch day and I noticed ants on some of the eggs so I candled and one was rotten. I made a large dog crate into a nest and we put the rest of her good eggs in there and then put her in to. She has covered the eggs with shavings an is just standing over them. How long til I worry and maybe put them in the incubator? I hope I didn't mess up I just was worried with the ducklings hatching in the yard attracting predators with lil quacks. What do I do?!!!

 

[elsfieldchickens]

just set 4 turkey eggs under a broody

 

[Miss Lydia]

So i posted a couple weeks ago about my broody runner nesting and setting in the brambles in my yard. I moved her into the coop with her eggs and she took them back to a different nest in the yard. Today should be hatch day and I noticed ants on some of the eggs so I candled and one was rotten. I made a large dog crate into a nest and we put the rest of her good eggs in there and then put her in to. She has covered the eggs with shavings an is just standing over them. How long til I worry and maybe put them in the incubator? I hope I didn't mess up I just was worried with the ducklings hatching in the yard attracting predators with lil quacks. What do I do?!!!

you did the right thing, and as for her standing up over them if today is hatch day she maybe hearing them peep and is giving them a bit of room. cover her crate so she is in mostly darkness and quiet. hopefully she'll settle down. Did you by any chance candle while you were moving? I'd give her a little time to get use to her surroundings before taking the eggs away from her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thought I'd bring this back up since I saw some OP's with broody ducks and hope they will post progress and hatch here..

and of course pics

 

[bellah1]

My runners last baby hatch yesterday! 10 babies! It was a nighmare though 3 died trying to zip (2malpositioned and one zipped and the side was crushed) we had to assist 4 (2 malposioned, 1 crushed also and 1 came out and was stiil attached in the nest hadn't absorbed its yolk yet) all 4 survive but the crushed one almost didn't make it and it was touch and go throughout the night but she doing better just still wobbly and much smaller. I will post pics later for some reason my phone won't do it right now. Just wanted to let u all know and thanks for all the encouraging words!

Oh but I forgot if u look at my avatar the black one with the yellow chest was the first hatched and they all look like her but I will still post better pics later