Old fashioned Broody Thread for Ducks

[Miss Lydia]

My ducks keep laying on the floor and I picked up the eggs and put them in a wooden milk crate with straw in the corner of the coop. I did this because I thought the eggs would get trampled. However, there are 7 eggs in the crate now and no broody duck. Was the crate a bad idea? Where do ducks usually nest?

They just go broody when the notion strikes them and they usually will build up a clutch before they decide. Probably moving them was not a good idea although I understand your reason behind it. maybe give them some more shavings. hay, srtaw what ever they like close to where the eggs we laying on the floor and eventually one of them will build their nest and roll the eggs to it. and start to brood. Let us know how it goes. what breed of ducks and how old? AND

Duck thread.

 

[jdywntr]

My ducks keep laying on the floor and I picked up the eggs and put them in a wooden milk crate with straw in the corner of the coop. I did this because I thought the eggs would get trampled. However, there are 7 eggs in the crate now and no broody duck. Was the crate a bad idea? Where do ducks usually nest?

There are a lot of things involved. What breed? How old are your ducks? How long have they been laying?

They may not see the crate as being safe. A darkened area is usually good. Ducks like to make a bowl shaped nest so the crate may be inhibiting their instinct to dig down and cover the eggs. If you have dirt/earthen floors dig out a bowl shape and place some nesting material there. Depending on the number of females you have, make a few. Mark all of the current eggs and place them in the nests. If you want them to set or just lay in the same nest, leave at least one egg until they are regularly laying there.

I made nests for my muscovy hens out of totes turned upside down with a hole cut for a door. I have 2 currently setting on 15ish eggs. One of my other hens was laying in a nest but has started going to the chicken coop to lay ( I think my 8 wk old ducklings are always in the way of her nest in the morning).

 

[Going Quackers]

Are we going to start a new thread for new hatches/waiting on or just continue with this one? Dusty has officially set, so were having babies again

Somebody cross their fingers for ducklets please!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are we going to start a new thread for new hatches/waiting on or just continue with this one? Dusty has officially set, so were having babies again

Somebody cross their fingers for ducklets please!

If you want to start one for 2013 then be my guest after all your the first one so seems logical.

and you caved in already. I just went out and found a cache of 3 that I missed yesterday so they have began to hide them.

 

[Going Quackers]

If you want to start one for 2013 then be my guest after all your the first one so seems logical.

and you caved in already. I just went out and found a cache of 3 that I missed yesterday so they have began to hide them.

I wasn't sure, that's why i asked lol Yeah, i caved actually better put dusty is a hard head. After the feathers were plucked and she'd been on them for a few days... er, i felt guilty taking potential babies away, besides this is likely a better time to sell with summer coming vs summer ending, again maybe i'll be lucky and they will be girls!

Yes. i think i have shoveled to much snow!

 

[farmlife]

Thank you for the advice. I will redo the nest. By the way I have 2 mallards male and female, and 3 black and white ducks 2 females and a male. Age is unknown. The black and whites were laying when I got them 3 weeks age. The mallard has been with me for 2 months without laying yet.

 

[babsnalley]

Hi I am new here and have a broody female mallard she has been on her eggs 11 days now I put 6 pekin eggs under her and now when she gets out in the morning for a swim and run with the other ducks , she goes after 1 of my pekin females. Its the same female that got a little close to her nest the other day.. she chases the pekin down and jumps her biting her neck and holding her down ..same thing every morning for 3 days now...

anyone have any ideas

 

[jdywntr]

Hi I am new here and have a broody female mallard she has been on her eggs 11 days now I put 6 pekin eggs under her and now when she gets out in the morning for a swim and run with the other ducks , she goes after 1 of my pekin females. Its the same female that got a little close to her nest the other day.. she chases the pekin down and jumps her biting her neck and holding her down ..same thing every morning for 3 days now...

anyone have any ideas

Sounds like you have a broody with a bad attitude. Perfectly normal, they can be terrors. When did you put the Pekin eggs under her?

 

[babsnalley]

I put 4 under her on the 1st of this month 11 days ago then 2 the next day .. I marked them with the date ,and a couple days ago I looked through them with a flash light . They looked fine , I could see the vanes.... Should I keep her locked in the coop till after the baby's are hatched ??

 

[jdywntr]

I put 4 under her on the 1st of this month 11 days ago then 2 the next day .. I marked them with the date ,and a couple days ago I looked through them with a flash light . They looked fine , I could see the vanes.... Should I keep her locked in the coop till after the baby's are hatched ??

Okay. Just wanted to make sure you didn't just put them under her after she'd been setting for a bit.

If she is staying off of the nest for a long time in her pursuit of the Pekin, maybe closing her in would help. I think its better for them to be able to have some time off to wander, eat etc as long as they aren't taking too long.

If the Pekin is going by the nest and that is when she is attacking, I'd try to block the nest or at least her line of sight. She may just be acting extremely protective.