Pekin Duck sitting but no eggs?

[ladyh]

I have a pekin hen that is acting broody, I think. She is sitting in the area that she normally lays eggs. I started to put two hen eggs under her but after a while she left for the whole day so I removed them. She went 2-3 days without laying an egg. I almost thought she was egg bound but she just keeps sitting on the area she normally lays her once a day egg. She keeps sitting but she isn't sitting on anything. I remove the egg every morning if she lays. Has anyone experienced this? Is she broody or just confused LOL?

Oh second question. My new ducks are 7 weeks old. How old before I can let them free range with having a male and female breeding pair on the premises. Now, the drake is stalking the new pekins (not sure if they are all female or not) through the chain link fence. He puts his head through the links at them LOL

 

[Ravynscroft]

Is your Pekin puffing up when you collect her egg? Hissing or huffing at all? She may or may not be getting ready to be broody... my Call would lay her egg and either sit or stand over it for a couple hours before leaving before she fully committed to being broody...

Is she eating and drinking well? Does it look like she is having issues with her legs when she walks? Does she stop and sit to take a break on her way to a destination?

As for your young ones, you don't want to fully introduce them until they are close in size to the adults... older ducks have been known to injure younger ones if they can't hold their own, especially against drakes...

 

[ladyh]

No she isn't puffing up because I get the egg out of the area she lays every time she lays as she leaves. There has are never been any eggs accumulated. She is eating fine...no health issues..sfter the few days of not laying, she did lay an egg...it seems to be intermittent. She lays on the empty nest and uses her bill to pull the hay around her. I have never had any eggs accumulated under her. She sits on the nest for hours and then leave for hours.

The new pekins are just about the size of my older female at 7 weeks.