Part time broodies

[Beaglegal]

I have 2 ducks go broody this week but quit after a day. One has gone back to her nest a few times after the first day when she stayed all day but will then get bored and go off to join the others. She will try and quack at the drake and get him to follow her back, but he’d rather hang with the others. The other one who went broody stayed on her nest for a full day and a half and then quit all together.

I keep hoping they will try again but at some point I should clean these nests out, right? Because the eggs won’t hatch now? How long do they have to sit on them before they start developing?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Usually by day 5 you can see veining. Are you sure they aren't still laying their clutch?

 

[Beaglegal]

Usually by day 5 you can see veining. Are you sure they aren't still laying their clutch?

Yeah, when I go out there now during the day no one is on their nests. The one duck had made a show of going to her nest every day in the morning for the last week, even skipping morning peas, but today she didn’t even try. I want to leave the eggs to tempt them back but I don’t want them to go broody on eggs that won’t hatch

 

[Beaglegal]

Yeah, when I go out there now during the day no one is on their nests. The one duck had made a show of going to her nest every day in the morning for the last week, even skipping morning peas, but today she didn’t even try. I want to leave the eggs to tempt them back but I don’t want them to go broody on eggs that won’t hatch

Now after being off the nest ALL day yesterday, she got back on this afternoon.... not sure if these eggs would hatch

 

[Miss Lydia]

You need to candle and mark them so if she goes full out broody you can replace these eggs with freshly laid and mark them too so you can keep track of how many eggs she has in the nest and remove any that are laid after you get the number you want her to hatch. This all depends on if your other girls are laying so you can give her fresh laid eggs?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Be sure these eggs are not good though.

 

[Beaglegal]

Be sure these eggs are not good though.

Yes my others are laying as well. If the eggs she is sitting on are good, they should have veining by 5 days? From when she started sitting or when?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since she has been on the nest off an on go ahead and candle the ones she is on. If you don't see any sign of life take those away and put fresh under her. But mark the new ones you can put the date or what ever you want so if anyone adds to her nest you can take those out or you'll have a staggered hatch. You always want the eggs to hatch with in at least a day or 2 of each other or you risk mama getting up and leaving eggs behind.

 

[Beaglegal]

Since she has been on the nest off an on go ahead and candle the ones she is on. If you don't see any sign of life take those away and put fresh under her. But mark the new ones you can put the date or what ever you want so if anyone adds to her nest you can take those out or you'll have a staggered hatch. You always want the eggs to hatch with in at least a day or 2 of each other or you risk mama getting up and leaving eggs behind.

Luckily they are laying 6 per day so I can easily get her enough eggs. I’m not sure how many she should have. My broodies last year had a 75% hatch rate and a 30% hatch rate. I only really want 2-3, so I was thinking 6 total

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's a good number and she won't care as long as she has eggs under her.