Please Help! Worried! Peking Duck brooding behavior advice

[Nanettr]

I also think that even though it looks like they are tight down on the eggs, they figure out how to provide air flow underneath them. Turn different directions, lift their tail to let air under, etc.
First-timers can have issues, learning the ropes, but since she has stuck with it so long, she was really committed to having ducklings.

At some point, you are probably going to have to break up her nest and get her to resume her life.

We are down to 2 eggs now. I candled those 2 tonight when I removed the one she tossed out. They both appeared to have air sacs. The inside of her nest was dry and very warm (she only got off for those 30 mins in the last 36 hrs) Unfortunately we are having a bad storm again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Let’s hope she gets 2 little ones for all her effort. Bless her heart. What did the discarded egg look like?

 

[Nanettr]

I didn’t take a picture of it. We were working quickly during a break in the storm to clean up the discarded egg, candle the other 2, get her fresh water, etc. It was very solid but looked similar to one of the first ones we found. No discernible features. Strong smell

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay thanks . How is she doing today?

 

[Nanettr]

Okay thanks . How is she doing today?

She hasn’t left the nest for 26 hrs now. She seems a little stronger in some ways. Maybe the electrolytes / probiotics in the water are helping. She is eating a little more.

If I count the day with the most eggs (June 30th) as day one then we are at 25 days now. Is that correct that you count from when she stopped laying?? Even though I found her on the nest beginning the 9th of June? (Total of 45/46 days)

 

[WVduckchick]

Still somewhat hopeful!

It’s hard to count days with broodies, unless you give them eggs on a particular day and keep all other eggs away. But yes, if another egg was added on June 30th, it is going to need 26-28 days to hatch.

With duck broodies, I try to mark my calendar on the first night that they spend sleeping on the eggs. Even if they spend the day with the eggs, they are sometimes just protecting them and not really incubating them yet. Once they spend the night on them, that usually indicates commitment. Then it can always be +/- a few days from the normal guideline.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hopefully something is going on under there.

 

[Nanettr]

Still somewhat hopeful!

It’s hard to count days with broodies, unless you give them eggs on a particular day and keep all other eggs away. But yes, if another egg was added on June 30th, it is going to need 26-28 days to hatch.

With duck broodies, I try to mark my calendar on the first night that they spend sleeping on the eggs. Even if they spend the day with the eggs, they are sometimes just protecting them and not really incubating them yet. Once they spend the night on them, that usually indicates commitment. Then it can always be +/- a few days from the normal guideline.

She has been on the nest day and night since at least June 9th. She had been missing a day before that and that is where we found her on the 9th.

 

[Nanettr]

Hopefully something is going on under there.

I am no longer hopeful. When she got off the nest a little bit ago I found a smashed, mushy, stinky egg. The other is in tact but can not see anything when I shine the light. Just solid.

I guess I need the two of you to walk me through the next steps if you will.

 

[Nanettr]

She has been on the nest day and night since at least June 9th. She had been missing a day before that and that is where we found her on the 9th.

Not hopeful now. See next thread