Please help me answer these questions.Update PICS!

[taraann81]

My duck has been sitting faithfully on her nest for about 35 days.

Last night when I went out to check on her I noticed her eggs were pipped.

This morning, 1 hatched very weak almost dead duckling out in front of the nest. I touched it and it was very cold.(now in bator)

Is this normal for a first time broody?

Also I was just out there again and she looks remarkably more raggedy all of a sudden and she is shaking.

She has food and water close by. I hope she will be okay and the rest of her eggs hatch better than the first.

 

[Smartie_Pants]

Duck eggs are only supposed to take approx. 28 days to hatch, unless they are muscovies. What breed are they? If they are muscovies, then I would just make sure she's eating and drinking, and not getting to hot. Maybe you should put her in some cool water and let her bathe for 5 minutes or so. In the wild, the mothers get off the eggs to eat and swim, so as long as she isn't off for a long time I think they'll be fine.

 

[taraann81]

Soory I should have specified. Yes she is a 'scovy. It's not too hot. What about the ducklings out of the nest. Are you aware if that is normal for a first time broody?

 

[Smartie_Pants]

It probably either crawled out, or she moved it out because she thought it was dying. Its not "normal" per se, but every hatch is different and it would be hard to say how the baby got out. If more hatch and stay in the nest, I would say it was an accident.

 

[Trenary Duck Farm]

taraann81, are you using nestboxes? The muscovy in the wild nests in tree cavities.

From http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/muscovy1001.htm

Nests


Nests should be provided to prevent the ducks from laying eggs on the floor where they have a greater chance of becoming contaminated, cracked or broken. One nest should be provided for each four or five females. Clean, dry nest pads or litter should be provided in the nests and changed often to keep eggs clean. Nests should be large enough to provide an environment where the duck can feel safe. Suggested dimensions are 12 in wide, 18 in deep and 12 in high. A small 2-inch high board can be placed across the front to retain nest litter.

 

[taraann81]

I do have nest boxes, very similar to the ones in your pics, but no she chose to lay her eggs in a secluded corner of the barn. There is an overhang(shelf) which is fairly low, so I think it seemed enclosed enough for her.

 

[xfilesnumber1fan]

Here is my girls box...
This is mother and daughter...
Its a X-Large pet barn...
2 other females also are sitting in there..I have 4 females sharing...

 

[taraann81]

Yes those are nice nest boxes.
I just assumed that maybe it happened because mama is inexperienced. I know that the first time my dog whelped she needed help as she was inexperienced. Though maybe it was the same sort of thing.

 

[Trenary Duck Farm]

Well, when I was a kid we used to put heat lamps in the lambing pens. After the ewe lambed, we would almost always find the lamb(s) under the lamp. So, I'm thinking that maybe a heat lamp next to the nest might be of benefit. The stragglers that wander away would stay near the heat.

Of course during lambing season we would check on the animals about every three hours. Maybe that is what you are going to have to do.

 

[taraann81]

Are you kidding me! I've been out there peaking at least once an hr! Yes I will keep an eye on things and hope for better luck in the future.