Runner duck setting eggs question

[Obsessedchickenmum]

My runner duck spent weeks building a beautiful nest and even though they aren’t known for going broody I waited to see if she would try, I removed eggs as she was laying so she didn’t have to many as both ducks were laying in there and she had way to many. She started to sit on them for the first half the day then wouldn’t go back until bed, and if I let them out to free range she had no interest. She started setting properly 5 days ago and hasn’t gotten off the nest at all since, apart from a quick drink and feed, I left her with 10 eggs and she is now starting to get defensive when I go near. I wanted to candle the eggs to see what was going on but she will not let me near the nest, anytime I go near her while she is eating she runs straight back in and lays on them. I have her and her drake buddy in a big dog run and my other ducks in the other dog run, they get kept in the dog runs as they have secure walls and roofs to protect them from foxes and let out during the day to free range. My question is should I still open the gate to allow free ranging for her seperately from the others or not? I was considering doing that and quickly checking her eggs while she was stretching her wings, but I’m concerned that if I do she may break her broodiness as this breed isn’t really known for going broody and I just got lucky?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Honestly, I'd just leave them until a few days after they should be hatched out.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I leave them be and put food/water right next to the broody hen. Most mothers will start to push the bad eggs out of the nest. So if you go in and see eggs sitting off to the side while she is eating remove those quick, but other than that let her do her thing.

 

[Obsessedchickenmum]

I leave them be and put food/water right next to the broody hen. Most mothers will start to push the bad eggs out of the nest. So if you go in and see eggs sitting off to the side while she is eating remove those quick, but other than that let her do her thing.

She won’t even let me near the nest when she is out eating, she quickly runs back in on the nest before I even get near her pen. She hasn’t pushed any out but I feel like surely some of the eggs aren’t viable or growing given how long it took her to start, I kept removing the old eggs so she didn’t have to many and tried penciling them so I knew which ones but the pencil rubbed off lol now I can’t get near to check them, is there a chance bad ones will explode? She has made a very high thick nest so they are all constantly covered by both her and the nest

 

[Yardmom]

My runners go broody quite often. Letting her free range will not likely have any affect on if she stays broody or not. Not all ducks push bad eggs out of the nest (I have had several duck hens sit on eggs that were not good). Although it is possible, an egg exploding is not likely.

 

[Obsessedchickenmum]

Tha ky

My runners go broody quite often. Letting her free range will not likely have any affect on if she stays broody or not. Not all ducks push bad eggs out of the nest (I have had several duck hens sit on eggs that were not good). Although it is possible, an egg exploding is not likely.

Thankyou, so should I disturb her and check just in case? Would it stop her from being broody if I disturb her? When I try feed her she hisses and fluffs up at me

 

[Yardmom]

Sounds like a normal broody duck. I just wait until I catch them on break. My daughter just reaches in bare handed. Some will nip other will decide to take a short break, but our ducks have always come back to their nests.