Please HELP! Maybe abandoned Wood Duck Nest? UPDATE*

[1lpoock]

Well our wood duck hen laid 9 eggs in a nesting box in our aviary. About a week or so ago she plucked her down feathers to put in the nest and started sititng. She would come out for about a half hour in the afternoon to eat and swim then go back in. Today, she has been out for a few hours and she didn't even cover the eggs when she left. Our ringed teal female flew up in the nest while I was back there, but came out right away. Then our mandarin drake flew up on top of the box and peeked in the hole. They all seem so interested in the eggs. I'm afraid she was off the eggs for too long today and it won't make it any better if she doesn't sit on them tonight. I'm afraid they'll die. Should I try to incubate them? Please help me, its my first time with ornamental eggs!

 

[Scott]

Quote:
Is she a an 09 hatch? Is this her first clutch? Is she still out of the nest at this point? If she still isnt on the nest by evening, I think I would personally incubate them. But its a tough call. How valuable are these eggs to you?

 

[1lpoock]

She is 09 hatch and this is her first clutch... She is on the nest now luckily. However, I hope those hours of being off doesn't do anything. Mothers know best I guess and I've head crazier stories and the mothers still hatched them.

 

[geosheets]

I agree, I would get them in the incubator if she didn't go back by sundown... they may still survive if they were viable. I had a mishap a few weeks ago with some duck eggs and my bator got down to 80 degrees... the eggs felt cold but I fired the bator back up. 7 out of 8 eggs hatched a week later and about a 1 day past their due date.

 

[1lpoock]

So she was in at night last night, but when I went back this morning she was out again and the eggs weren't covered by down or wood chips. If they are still like this when I get home and she is still out, I think I'll incubate them. Does anyone have experience with wood ducks incubating, do they usually get off the nest a lot?

 

[newchickmom09]

I don't have knowledge to help I just wanted to say I hope everything goes good for those eggs.

 

[destinduck]

no doubt LEAVE THEM ALONE she knows what shes doing

they do that stuff all the time dont keep messin with them feed em and give her privacy no worries

yes they get off the nest all the time if you keep going in there all the time migratory ducks WILL abandon their nest dont worry your fine

 

[1lpoock]

Okay I was just worried since its my first breeding season with them and she leaves the nest so often without even covering the eggs with her down when she leaves

 

[kitkatbahr]

What is happening with your wood duck and her eggs? Did you decide to let her sit on them or did you put them in an incubator? I have a muscovy on her first clutch. She is an 09 hatch too. She seems to be doing ok but has left the nest a couple times for awhile. Never more than an hour though. Your post just caught my eye and I was wondering how she was doing. When are they due to hatch? Mine should be hatching today/tonight. This is day 35 for her. Crossing my fingers and hoping the eggs are fertile. Rocky, her mate, is an 09 hatch too.

 

[1lpoock]

I ended up letting her sit on them until the last week...then I candled and put them in the bator. I was only left with two eggs because the others were infertile or died early on. But I got both the remaining eggs to hatch! One regular colored and one silver duckling! They hatched this past weekend and are a few days old right now. You can check the other thread "Wild Waterfowl Incubation" it has a picture.