Scuba went broody...

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

@DucksAreBest
@Miss Lydia
Shes been at this for almost a week now, keeps hopping off the nest between 10-12 and stays off the rest of the day. There are 18 nice neat clean eggs in there. All exposed, shes down playing in the mud, but did come get all upset when I was checking them out. , should I just let her carry on? Should i get them and put in the incubator? I would have to wait until tomorrow to actually incubate them so it could stabilize? I don’t want her to end up with rotten eggs under her and from what I have read Pekins aren’t particularly the best broody ducks. Please advise.

 

[Newfowler1]

I wanted this to happen early on, went through it and definitely changed my mind. If you want more ducks I’d incubate or buy just hatched ducklings.

I say this for several reasons. Firstly it’s a pain if you collect eggs for consumption or selling on. Expect to find dead ducklings, squashed ones, ones that couldn’t get free of a shell, ones that get pecked on by any other adult duck and on and on.

More Recently I’ve been concerned about the genetic pool. I don’t think I’m going to hatch any more of my own eggs until I’ve fresh ducks in the gene pool. I’m not sure if I’m overacting on this but have seen what can happen with Dogs too closely interbreed.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

I am not too worried about the genetics, i have quite a mix of ducks and I bought all of them, so i don't have an issue there yet. Either way, if she hatches her own, or i incubate I guess I would value the experience more than wanting more ducks, I would probably give them to my friend who is having trouble getting babies, they might become meat ducks..dunno yet

 

[DucksAreBest]

@DucksAreBest
@Miss Lydia
Shes been at this for almost a week now, keeps hopping off the nest between 10-12 and stays off the rest of the day. There are 18 nice neat clean eggs in there. All exposed, shes down playing in the mud, but did come get all upset when I was checking them out. , should I just let her carry on? Should i get them and put in the incubator? I would have to wait until tomorrow to actually incubate them so it could stabilize? I don’t want her to end up with rotten eggs under her and from what I have read Pekins aren’t particularly the best broody ducks. Please advise.

Hmn, let's see what @Miss Lydia will say.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have you candled any of them for life? do that first, but if she hasn't been consistently sitting I doubt you'll see much.

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Have you candled any of them for life? do that first, but if she hasn't been consistently sitting I doubt you'll see much.

A few of the ones she started on Wednesday have maybe a spot in them, others not so much. I would say may 6 i feel have a definite spot, the rest remain to be seem.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They pretty much have to be on the eggs 24/7 except to come out long enough to eat swim and do a bit of preening , and of course that broody poop that you can't miss. Have you noticed that or any acting all crabby?

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

They pretty much have to be on the eggs 24/7 except to come out long enough to eat swim and do a bit of preening , and of course that broody poop that you can't miss. Have you noticed that or any acting all crabby?

Oh shes crabby, walks around all feathers fluffed out at me, bill open and agitated if I go in there, and she does sit on them pretty much all morning, then off again until nighttime. Just thinking if she is waiting for enough, with 18 eggs, she’s running out of mother bird to cover them all. She has one heck of a clutch going. Is she waiting for a few more do you think? Or is she just being a poor mother and a typical pekin?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well I have heard both some Pekins will stay the course others play at it. Don't think there are that many out there that stay the course. I don't know with your Pekin she doesn't sound completely sold out to the idea of being 100% broody. Other than her actions besides sitting. 18 is alot of eggs. You might want to take out the oldest and see what she does then. Is she still laying or letting others lay in her nest?

 

[Stoney Meadow Maple]

Well I have heard both some Pekins will stay the course others play at it. Don't think there are that many out there that stay the course. I don't know with your Pekin she doesn't sound completely sold out to the idea of being 100% broody. Other than her actions besides sitting. 18 is alot of eggs. You might want to take out the oldest and see what she does then. Is she still laying or letting others lay in her nest?

I have found the other female pekin in there, but i dont think it had anything to do with setting, just laying, i also think scuba is my soft egg culprit, I found one broken open with poor shell quality the other day, i poked her off the nest to deal with it and she never went back until that night. I gave her peas laced with calcium, been away for the weekend but the nest is clean and the eggs are all firm. 3 more since Friday.