Old fashioned Broody Thread for Ducks

[Miss Lydia]

Hi Ms Lydia. here is the latest on the part ime broody duck, which is now definieltly broody ducks, A new long and tortured tale with a qustion at the end.

three australian spotted ducks, one drake and 2 hens.
Hen 1 lays lays and starts to get broody. Plays around for a couple of weeks and then settles in on a clutch of about 12 eggs.
Hen 2 also laying in same nest. Very companianable, at first anyway. Both sitting together, Hen 1 all the time, Hen 2 now and again.
I come back one day and the top of the nesting box (a litter pan) is askew and Hen 1 is no longer sitting. For a day or two it seems that Hen 2 is not either.
Hen 1 starts laying in the run.
Hen 2 turns seriously broody in the original nest. If looks could kill I would be 6 feet under.
Now Hen 1 is making a nest in the run and not getting near the original nest. The first site she tried was not good and the eggs got broken, I believe by some of the wild birds that can make it through the welded wire (little peck holes) She is now in a better spot and is covering her eggs.
As of today she isstarting to give me the eye and being protective of her eggs so I think is reconsidering the broody business.

I candled the eggs in the original nest and we have 8 fertile eggs in two groups, one group of 3 with appreciable size fetus and movement, the other group of 5 at an earlier stage.with good veins but not alot of dnese fetal tissue yet.

So! Here is the question. If, as I suspect will happen, Hen 1 really does go broody in the next several days, if I put one of the groups of developing eggs under her, would she accept hatchlings that would be "arriving early" from her point of view. possibly very early.

My thgt being to get through the broody time with both hens with ducklings but not so many ...
and then get back to laying later in the summer I hope?

How early are you talking about? ducks can't count nor tell time so if she gets settled and has a real chance to sit say for a week or longer then most likely she would accept the ducklings. All you can do is try.

 

[Going Quackers]

I am a silent stalker of this thread. Hope no one minds. I won't be incubating any eggs (maybe that changes after my first year of breeding). Next Spring if I have any go broody I will keep my eye on them and see who gets to set. So it will be the old fashioned way for us next year. So this thread is extremely helpful for this lurky loo. <3

I'm so sorry to Quackers for the loss of her Rubber Duck and the stress of this hatch season. <3 xx

Not at all, come on in! Hopefully if you do give it a whirl you'll have better success than i have.

 

[Going Quackers]

So in Canada the Sunfresh is called The Golden Line? it sounds like the same as mine just different name. Sunfresh has 100% vegetable protein. I hope you can get more girls, guess what I am so excited a friend who lives in my county, who is a BYCer also is hatching Pomerian geese in her bator, I have been looking for a goose for my gander so this looks like a go for me to get a gosling from her and have Alice and Sammy raise it.. When Alice came off the nest this afternoon I took another look at her 2 eggs, one was really getting dark on the outside so I went ahead and took it I sure don't want one to explode in her nest, so she is now down to one. But these gosling are due to hatch on her hatch day, I am thinking maybe slipping a gosling under her?/ what do you think?

I have no idea, sometimes we have the same product but differing names or we have entirely different products.

I think it's worth a try although i'll bet she'll get a shock when the gander baby grows as fast as they do! lol should be a great addition for you though, i hope all goes well with it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have no idea, sometimes we have the same product but differing names or we have entirely different products.

I think it's worth a try although i'll bet she'll get a shock when the gander baby grows as fast as they do! lol should be a great addition for you though, i hope all goes well with it.

Have you seen any signs of any more ducklings? I have thrown away all but 1 of Alices eggs, not really expecting anything just hoping she'll stay put till the gosling hatches.

 

[Sasa]

This is Holly, my Call hen with her Runner cross ducklings, they are SUCH better birds when they're raised by their Mom, or any Momduck. Humans cannot give them what their parent can.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is Holly, my Call hen with her Runner cross ducklings, they are SUCH better birds when they're raised by their Mom, or any Momduck. Humans cannot give them what their parent can.

They are beautiful and so is Mom. and your right, we could never do as well as mama.

 

[Going Quackers]

Have you seen any signs of any more ducklings? I have thrown away all but 1 of Alices eggs, not really expecting anything just hoping she'll stay put till the gosling hatches.

No, i need to check the eggs but our weather is awful ... she is still ever so dedicated to these two eggs.. if Lilly comes out for a rest i am snagging two and shoving them under Lilac they are her's anyways, due to hatch next week.

I wish i had more fertile eggs but i don't.. i feel bad for the silly duck

My husband still is on the concept she smothered it so doesn't seem to think she'll raise any successfully i on the other hand am not so sure? Good luck to Alice, i hope all works out.

 

[Going Quackers]

This is Holly, my Call hen with her Runner cross ducklings, they are SUCH better birds when they're raised by their Mom, or any Momduck. Humans cannot give them what their parent can.

Adorable! well i find they learn to forage like nobodies business that way! my 4wk old is fantastic at it.

 

[Going Quackers]

Here are some updated pics of my only duckling.. aka Junior.. it turned roughly 4wks old yesterday... not the best pics, mama is super protective and the weather is utter garbage.. cloudy, rainy and like 12C feakin' degrees!

 

[stonykill]

truer words have not been spoken. Beautiful lil ones and mama

This is Holly, my Call hen with her Runner cross ducklings, they are SUCH better birds when they're raised by their Mom, or any Momduck. Humans cannot give them what their parent can.