One of my runner hens, Drew, has been disappearing as soon as I release the ducks from their shelter in the morning. I was pretty sure she was sitting on eggs somewhere. But by the time I got everyone fed, she would be out of sight all day, and I couldn't find the nest until today.
As I was cutting back some overgrown trumpet vines, I spotted a broken, emptied duck eggshell. I got very quiet and eventually could hear some low quacking. Sure enough, there was Drew -- a few feet away --with three intact eggs, including a freshly laid, still-wet one, in a nest. She was clearly peeved, so I moved away quickly. But I know there won't be any ducklings, despite having two amorous drakes in the flock. My girl has priorities!
My ducks' breeder always told me that few of her girls go broody. And, she was right. As much as Drew seems to want to nest during the day, her resolve evaporates every evening when I yell, "Duck, duck, house, house." Motherhood, it seems, means less to her than dinner because even though she's the last duck in their house, she dashes in to make sure she never misses a meal.
Once she goes into her house this evening, I will remove the eggs to reduce the likelihood of predators finding a clutch of tasty protein. I'm not sure how long the current eggs have been in the nest, since at least one has been eaten by something.
As I was cutting back some overgrown trumpet vines, I spotted a broken, emptied duck eggshell. I got very quiet and eventually could hear some low quacking. Sure enough, there was Drew -- a few feet away --with three intact eggs, including a freshly laid, still-wet one, in a nest. She was clearly peeved, so I moved away quickly. But I know there won't be any ducklings, despite having two amorous drakes in the flock. My girl has priorities!
My ducks' breeder always told me that few of her girls go broody. And, she was right. As much as Drew seems to want to nest during the day, her resolve evaporates every evening when I yell, "Duck, duck, house, house." Motherhood, it seems, means less to her than dinner because even though she's the last duck in their house, she dashes in to make sure she never misses a meal.
Once she goes into her house this evening, I will remove the eggs to reduce the likelihood of predators finding a clutch of tasty protein. I'm not sure how long the current eggs have been in the nest, since at least one has been eaten by something.
