Population explosion countdown...

[Caprice_Acres]

I currently have 4 muscovies on nests. I unfortunately lost the paper that I wrote down the 'broody' days on, but I know that three of them went broody approximately at the same time, around 4/9. One nest is only 6 eggs, the other two are about 12-15 each. I should get a better count one of these days, but I hate messing with the hens too much.

Then another hen went broody on a communal muscovy nest, with over 30 eggs in it. I think I left her with 31, after removing broken or dirty eggs. I'm fairly certain I'll be paring down the number she's got over the next few days, as I check and make sure she's covering them.

The three nests are due approx. 5/14, and the fourth huge nest is due to hatch approx. 5/29.

I love spring ducklings! Now I just gotta sell 'em all.

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

Your duck math is exponential!

 

[bufforp89]

I have a broody muscovy but will have no where near the number of babies as you! I think that I have a second that is going broody, need to check this evening. I also have 2 broody geese that are on nests of 12-15 eggs each...gonna be alot of geese around here in the next few weeks!

 

[emjay]

talking population explosion. here's my spring fever list, I am so not letting any more hatch after this explosion. !!!

Mama Hen (chicken) sitting on 10 duck eggs (hatching as we speak, 3 so far)
2 broody ducks (welsh harlequins) sitting on 22 eggs
Mama chicken sitting on 14 eggs
incubator - 42 eggs

already hatched chicks, 23

grand total possibility = 111

 

[DuckLover9138]

How do you plan to care for them if they don't sell? After a few years, you will have over 100 ducks. If you give the others away for free, they might end up as duck food.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Currently I have a broody Rouen on 10 eggs and a broody Runner on 7 eggs. Hoping they both hatch eggs, this will be my first time having a duck with babies

The Rouen hatched last year but the nasty rats we had then got all her babies

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Muscovies usually sell pretty good, if s/he has an auction barn in the area there won't be a problem. I would also suggest posting an ad on Craigslist or bestfarmbuys.com

 

[wpalmisano]

Quote:
Um....ducks are food, lol. I have a flock of 12 mallards, 4 males and 8 hens. The eggs are fresh and I have been selling them on Ebay. I also test hatch and sell the extras ducklings at the local livestock auction at a few weeks old. ( During warmer weather) Sometimes I'll eat the eggs but prefer chicken or quail eggs. Lots of folks eat the birds they raise. At 13.99 for a 50# bag of cracked corn or layer pellets, (Agway), its getting too pricey not to harvest the birds, lol, except most of them were born here and I do get attached.

 

[Mom 2em All]

Donna,

Two of the girls I got from you last year are sitting on eggs. One is due to hatch in the next couple days and hasnt moved off the nest. The other is due next week and she is a bad broody. She gets up all the time for very long lengths of time. She is sitting on four eggs. Five of her eggs are in my incubator.

The good broody is on a bunch of eggs. I dont know for sure how many but I think around fourteen.

The other female has decided that she would much rather hang out with the drake than be broody.

Congrats on your hatches!

 

[emjay]

Quote:
not sure if this was meant for me, but, there are only a few duck eggs to hatch, the rest are chickens, and yes, surplus chickens will become food for us.