Old fashioned Broody thread for ducks 2013 edition

[Miss Lydia]

I think you'll know when to interfere, but if mama isn't doing her part in caring for her babies maybe keeping them up for a few days will make a difference. Some mamas as we all know from experience are just not as attentive as we'd like them to be. we need some current pics of these lil ones they grow up so fast.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

What made no sense to me is the babies could have gotten right over to mom quite easily if they'd wanted to. I think they might be getting warmth from the foundation of the barn where I'm finding them. They just seem too little... But they are growing! Won't be long and they will be too big to fit there. You hold on tight, I peeked inside Khaki's nest this eve after dinner and one of her ducklings had its bill totally out and there was just a ton of noise, taps, chirps, the egg next door was wiggling! I love them all but I'm over the moon excited for this hatch!! Pics soon.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What made no sense to me is the babies could have gotten right over to mom quite easily if they'd wanted to. I think they might be getting warmth from the foundation of the barn where I'm finding them. They just seem too little... But they are growing! Won't be long and they will be too big to fit there. You hold on tight, I peeked inside Khaki's nest this eve after dinner and one of her ducklings had its bill totally out and there was just a ton of noise, taps, chirps, the egg next door was wiggling! I love them all but I'm over the moon excited for this hatch!! Pics soon.

So exciting H, looking forward to pics... Seems to me in watching my mamas and ducklings, they learn earlier to be independent and really rely on each other more than mom. even now with mine going on 14 weeks [I think]Have to go back to the calendar but they are still a close knit group of 3.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Sad news today, dead embryo. Yolk was still visible on the outside & feet were really curled up ... But another egg had the external pip.

 

[Blondiega1]

My girl seems to be doing good.
I get worried because the last 2 days she's come off the nest for an hour or two at a time several times during the day.
Our temps have been in the low 90's and it's very humid so maybe that's why?

I managed to get this pic of the nest yesterday. I counted about 11-12 eggs.
We are on day 16 with 13 days to go.





And here's a brief video. I know Pekins aren't known for their hatching skills, but I'm so VERY hopeful she'll see it through.






Just saw Mama remove an egg from the nest.
She rolled it a short way away from the nest, busted it open, then carried it away leaving it out in the yard.
Guess she sensed it was not viable. No embryo. Just yolk.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I read your post first, then viewed your video. I was hopeful that you had caught your momma duck moving the eggs on video. That is such a mystery to me, but I know for certain they do it. Just can't figure out how. Anyway, congrats on making it so far. That's great news. I would not worry about her getting up, my bet is that is def due to warm weather. My Rouen that hatched almost 2 wks ago (when it was pretty hot here) was up and off her nest a lot, like one day she was off cruising with the others for like 6 hours. I was having panic attacks, wondering what the heck was going on, but her hatch was perfect and her ducklings strong and healthy. Can't wait to see yours!

 

[Blondiega1]

I read your post first, then viewed your video. I was hopeful that you had caught your momma duck moving the eggs on video. That is such a mystery to me, but I know for certain they do it. Just can't figure out how. Anyway, congrats on making it so far. That's great news. I would not worry about her getting up, my bet is that is def due to warm weather. My Rouen that hatched almost 2 wks ago (when it was pretty hot here) was up and off her nest a lot, like one day she was off cruising with the others for like 6 hours. I was having panic attacks, wondering what the heck was going on, but her hatch was perfect and her ducklings strong and healthy. Can't wait to see yours!

I wish I had caught it on tape.
I had just looked up from my desk when I saw her carrying it out in her bill.
It appears she busted it open a short distance from the nest before removing it.
I went outside and found it busted open in the yard and it was all orange on inside like it was full of yolk and nothing else.
I checked around nest and a short distance away, there's a little orange from the yolk but nothing else.
She's just come back and is setting pretty again.
She comes back and sticks her bill in the nest almost like she's checking the eggs or maybe checking temp? who knows......


So very very hopeful we get a few out of this hatch!
It's her (and my) first time so I'm trying to be realistic.
Out of my 3 hens, she's the only one who's gone broody and they are all the same age roughly.
She's got 11 under her, so I hope maybe half that will hatch. That may be too hopeful.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sad news today, dead embryo. Yolk was still visible on the outside & feet were really curled up

... But another egg had the external pip.

It's sad but sometimes for the best when you notice things that could be wrong.
Yay for external pips!!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Yes, ML, I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Here's the 13? Day olds!

And.... Here are are at least 2!!!! But KhakiMom won't allow me to see much.
This was so good to see today... Yesterday PM I came home to a big mess of broken eggs. Very upsetting. Zero embryos. She only had 5 eggs remaining last night. So I corralled her up tight and awoke to hatch.