Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Congrats JW

 

[DuckMan035]

I have to KCs and 3 rouens their still ducklings but im.just wondering when they do start naturing.are there any things you can do to make them go broody i want to start sorta of a local "hatchery" i posted on the KC thread some other questions any tips would be awesome

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

In my experience, I haven't been able to make mine do anything. Some are just good moms and some are not. I think the best thing you can do is let them mature into healthy ducks, not allowing them to put on too much weight (something I inferred from Metzer's website as to how they raise their breeders), and create a nice house type place where they'll want to brood. Think about timing, for example, I think I've got an early winter ahead, so I would not allow any Broodies to sit because I don't want ducklings in winter. And I've also found that age seems to make a difference. Older ducks seem to make better moms.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Update on my Broodies today. First thing, my fickle Rouen was off the nest, wanting to have her bath and play. Then my KC left nest as well, although she returned pretty quickly. Thankfully, she didn't return until I was able to inspect. 1st Off- dead embryo with no shell to be found. This is strange. The embro was large, much larger than the embryos I found last year. But, this embryo had a giant yolk sac. Using this guide, http://www.poultryhub.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/chick_embryo_development1.jpg
I would guess that yolk to look more like Day 14-15, but like I said, otherwise the embryo appeared big and ready for hatch. Looked like the pure KC that I have been wanting So took care of that, then I counted eggs. Rouen's nest had the same # of eggs! That was also very strange. So while I was counting, found one egg peeping with the external shell broken! Yay!

So for insurance, I used hardware cloth to seal my moms inside and the others out. Just to be sure that the others aren't sabatoging the hatch. So questions. Is that link above chicken, and therefore not necessarily a good resource for comparing to what I saw? Meaning, are duckling embryos feathered before the yolk sac is absorbed? There were also lots of really big, red blood vessels on that yolk sac too.

One other thing, that Rouen has been off the nest a lot, today I had to physically put her back with her nest after her bath. She did not enter lockdown at all! Every other broody has done a proper and predictable lockdown... Not her

 

[Blondiega1]

Well.....I never thought I'd find myself in this position.
Everything read said Pekins don't go broody.
Well Delilah didn't get the memo.

This is my and her first time so tips? Advice? Just leave her be?

If my count was good, and mind you I did it at a distance, she's got 5 maybe 6 under her.
Been sitting full time for 2 days now, so with a lot of luck and even more prayer, I'm thinking we should keep our eyes out for a Sept 6th-ish hatch.
Provided everything goes well. (fingers crossed)

 

[BackyardAnita]

This morning my duck hatched 5 ducklings! They've been in the nest for the past couple hours and haven't gone anywhere. Is the mother supposed to show them around and find food for them?The mother duck didn't get raised by her mother so does she not know how to care for them? Or is it all instinct? I was expecting the eggs to hatch in a week so i hadn't gotten any food for the ducklings yet. I suppose i'll use oatmeal. The nest is in the coop with all my ducks and chickens and I want to move them to the broody pen but I can't figure out how to move them because when ever I get close the mother thrusts her beak at me.
Any advice?

 

[chickenboy190]

My mallard sat on 9-11 eggs in 2011 got 9 ducklings out of the eggs. Next morning 4 had been killed so now I have 5 hybrid ducks and I'm going to get rid of 3 of them but I have not found a home for them just in May I said I don't need them anymore and she had them with a pekin.If anybody has a pond, would not kill them , and live in Ohio near me i will give them to you. She is sitting on some more eggs so I will keep you posted.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well.....I never thought I'd find myself in this position.
Everything read said Pekins don't go broody.
Well Delilah didn't get the memo.

This is my and her first time so tips? Advice? Just leave her be?

If my count was good, and mind you I did it at a distance, she's got 5 maybe 6 under her.
Been sitting full time for 2 days now, so with a lot of luck and even more prayer, I'm thinking we should keep our eyes out for a Sept 6th-ish hatch.
Provided everything goes well. (fingers crossed)

What a sweet pic, looks like she is serious for sure. I think I would try to figure out how to keep her safer at night though. maybe you can put up some kind of fencing over and in front to keep out the preds. I just wouldn't feel right leaving her outside even there. Predators are relentless and if they get a wiff they will get her.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Blondie Congrats but do find a way to tuck her in safely for overnight. She'll be really vulnerable, as will those eggs.

Anita, try chopped hard boiled egg yolk for tonight.

Chicken boy I say post an add on the Rehoming thread or try Craigslist.

 

[Blondiega1]

What a sweet pic, looks like she is serious for sure. I think I would try to figure out how to keep her safer at night though. maybe you can put up some kind of fencing over and in front to keep out the preds. I just wouldn't feel right leaving her outside even there. Predators are relentless and if they get a wiff they will get her.

We are going to put up some barriers today to try to keep her safe.
She left for about an hour yesterday to eat and get some water and I got some new pics.
She's got more eggs than I thought! I counted at least 10!!!

Blondie Congrats but do find a way to tuck her in safely for overnight. She'll be really vulnerable, as will those eggs.

Anita, try chopped hard boiled egg yolk for tonight.

Chicken boy I say post an add on the Rehoming thread or try Craigslist.

I'm afraid to move her. I'm worried she'd abandon the nest.
We are going to set up some barriers today to protect her some.