Take or leave the eggs? Advice and Opinions needed!

[Soon2BChixMom]

This happened to be taken today, but it's not full body... I'll have to try to get a full body later?
And I actually believe this is a girl but the fact that I am not 100% leads me to be wonder about the eggs (what if it is a male and the eggs are fertilized). I'll have to look up candling! We don't mind babies, they can do as they wish. But I don't want her just sitting up there for a month when she can be living life wandering around and swimming and such...

She's been brooding for I'd say a week now? She laid 10 eggs and by that 10th day she started staying (and only gets down once in the am when I refresh water and give them some corn or melon)

I'll have to check the candling. And then if they are not fertile just take them away? and then she goes and looks for her eggs and they're gone???? I hate thinking like a human to solve a duck problem ha!

If this muscovy is 1.5 yrs old, most likely female. I would think it would have more caruncles if male. My females have more caruncles than this duck and they are 6 months. A full body pic would definitely help.
Did the two come from the same hatch?

Yes, don't humanize your ducks - they definitely don't think like we do.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your pic is a female Muscovy for sure.

 

[mysgyn]

Thank you that's what we thought, too, based on the carnucles and her physical size (she's smaller than the other one who is currently brooding). She is at least 1, maybe close to 1 1/2? They are not from the same hatch but the same season. Not sure of her exact age though.

OK well we'll wait a few more days, try candling (science and learning!) and then we'll take the eggs (assuming they are not fertilized).

So if she doesn't have the eggs, will she just go back to being her regular duck until she decides to lay another clutch?
And then should we take them each time she lays them (for food)?

And thank you guys! It was easy with our Pekin and Cayuga as they had no interest in their eggs, just plopped them down and ran. Never even made a nest. She is so caring and thoughtful so it was more emotional this time...

 

[Miss Lydia]

It will take a little time for her hormones to adjust but she'll eventually go back to being herself. and if you don't want her to sit this time of year take the eggs up daily I do it with my Muscovy's everyday. It's hard since they do love to sit and hatch but they get over it and so can we. lol Soon they will be in molt and stop laying for this year until next spring when it all starts again.

 

[townchicks]

I'd say pick them up and see what she does. It's pretty late in the year for hatching outside, anyway, depending on your location. Then you can do some reading over the winter, and if she's broody next year, and you want to hatch, you can be prepared with a source of fertile eggs and all you need to raise a successful clutch. Of course, you have to post here if you do!

 

[mysgyn]

@Miss Lydia I was wondering the same about taking the eggs daily (as we did with the other breeds) next go around. It's those hormone levels, and being a mom, where I put myself in her shoes (unnecessarily?) like we're taking her children away while her hormones are in full effect (she is definitely a different duck while sitting on that nest!) But then again, assuming these are both girls, these aren't going to hatch anything but a foul odor so better to take them one by one than have her just sit all day in my window planter!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I know we put our feelings on them but that’s okay. I can see why they are considered a nuisance in other parts of the country even though it’s sad, but if we let our Muscovy hatch anytime they wanted to we be wall to wall Muscovy. They do love it. You maybe can find a nice drake over winter so next year your girls can hatch out some babies. Have we seen both of you Muscovy’s?

 

[mysgyn]

So sorry for the lack of reply. For some reason it stopped notifying me! Here is "mama" on the left and the "other" is on the right...

 

[chickens really]

Two Hens?...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Def female on the right.