My female rouen FINALLY decided to sit on her nest. She has 8 eggs I counted today and she wasn't in coop wen I checked so I took the hint and checked she is on her eggs. My issue is she has no mate now. He was killed last week or just before then. I have never had a duck sit on a nest w/o a drake near. Will she be ok feeding and w/o protection? If I move her I know she will abandon her nest. She is close to the house so I will be able to tell, while awake that she is harassed at all.
Just wondering. I am leaving her if she will sit because these (Some at least) are the last of her eggs that will be fertile until I get her a mate. I have 3 batched of her eggs in incubation now (about 20 total) staggered over 3 weeks for hatching. So I may end up with a few (Many I hope) before her nest does/doesn't hatch. I would be greatful if 1/4 of all eggs (roughly 28) hatch. Since most of her family was wiped out last year in the fall. Something got them all but 2 in the pond 1 night. Her mother we had for 3 years, 2 before I was able to find her a mate. She just looks odd now solo, since having multiple ducks last year.