Shaws call duck incubation thread (hatch a wonderful(worthless to Ralphie) dux thread)

[Fields Mountain Farm]

View attachment 1370631 View attachment 1370632 we are about to outgrow the brooder.

Oh wow... they are growing so fast.
And such pretties!

 

[Julie Birb]

View attachment 1370631 View attachment 1370632 we are about to outgrow the brooder.

Look at us! We are bigger fuzzlets now. But we're still very cute.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

So Daphne went broody today, on her clutch of like ten eggs. I have her cut off in the nesting box with food and water, and not sure what to do from there. Most of the eggs are weeks old, and she's accumulated them over a while, and chickens have laid and sat on them. She's hissing like a snake and very nippy, otherwise I'd candle the eggs. I gotta get gloves on for that. Should I discard the old ones or just mark them? Candle for the viable embryos? What's your usual plan with a broody duck??

 

[shawluvsbirds]

So Daphne went broody today, on her clutch of like ten eggs. I have her cut off in the nesting box with food and water, and not sure what to do from there. Most of the eggs are weeks old, and she's accumulated them over a while, and chickens have laid and sat on them. She's hissing like a snake and very nippy, otherwise I'd candle the eggs. I gotta get gloves on for that. Should I discard the old ones or just mark them? Candle for the viable embryos? What's your usual plan with a broody duck??

If it's a call duck it can't bite very hard. . I just deal with being bitten lol. Gloves seem to freak birds out even more. I wouldn't bother candle ing for about about ten days or you might throw out good eggs.I have no idea what to tell ya on the chicken eggs. . they will hatch sooner than the ducks So that could be a problem.. Plus her getting them wet. Not sure how that would work out. I wouldn't take bathing water out though cause she needs to be able to get wet for the duck eggs

 

[GldnValleyHens]

If it's a call duck it can't bite very hard. . I just deal with being bitten lol. Gloves seem to freak birds out even more. I wouldn't bother candle ing for about about ten days or you might throw out good eggs.I have no idea what to tell ya on the chicken eggs. . they will hatch sooner than the ducks So that could be a problem.. Plus her getting them wet. Not sure how that would work out. I wouldn't take bathing water out though cause she needs to be able to get wet for the duck eggs

I took the chickens eggs out everyday they laid them. I let them have access to the duck nest because they kept the duck eggs warm ya know. Didn't see how it would hurt until she went broody. Now she finally chose to go broody, which is great! Should I take some pics of my set up? It's a large nesting box with a milk crate over the opening, where I put her food and figured she could poo. She had a swim earlier today, but since I blocked the box to keep other birds out, what should I do? Spray the eggs with water?

 

[WVduckchick]

I took the chickens eggs out everyday they laid them. I let them have access to the duck nest because they kept the duck eggs warm ya know. Didn't see how it would hurt until she went broody. Now she finally chose to go broody, which is great! Should I take some pics of my set up? It's a large nesting box with a milk crate over the opening, where I put her food and figured she could poo. She had a swim earlier today, but since I blocked the box to keep other birds out, what should I do? Spray the eggs with water?

I agree with Shaw.
If the chicken eggs are new ones, you can remove them later. (or the broody bug may get caught by a chicken hen lol)
If the duck has water though, I think she will get enough to provide the needed moisture for the eggs. Or you can maybe let her out sometimes?
Good luck to Daphne!

 

[Fields Mountain Farm]

Good luck Daphne!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I took the chickens eggs out everyday they laid them. I let them have access to the duck nest because they kept the duck eggs warm ya know. Didn't see how it would hurt until she went broody. Now she finally chose to go broody, which is great! Should I take some pics of my set up? It's a large nesting box with a milk crate over the opening, where I put her food and figured she could poo. She had a swim earlier today, but since I blocked the box to keep other birds out, what should I do? Spray the eggs with water?

Sure share some pics if you like. . we may have more suggestions. . never know. Unless someone is bothering her I don't think you really need to block her off until closer to hatch date.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Thanks guys, I'll be sure to provide a large pan of water for dipping in. I have her blocked off mainly because I don't want the huge mean hens to chase her off, like I think they probably have been doing which prevented her from going broody? They have 2 other boxes to lay in, and she has plenty of room, so I think I'll keep her contained? Maybe let her exercise in the pool a couple times.
So I candled 2 of the eggs, the oldest ones sort of speckled with poo. They have cloudy small yolks, with a dark spot the size of a little pea in the middle. The yolk is sort of raggy if you get what I mean. I think they were a few days along but died. No veins. Should I discard them?

 

[WVduckchick]

If you will be able to candle again in a few days, I'd leave them to be sure they are duds. Unless she already has enough without them.