The Broody Duck Thread for 2014

[CrazyChookLady5]

Out of nine runners, I have three that get really broody.

Sepp Holzer is an Austrian farmer and he says what he started doing was breeding the runners that were good mothers, so now all his runners are good mothers.

thanks for the help,

 

[chickkrzi]

Thanks all for the help. I think I'm just going to let them brood in the same nest. It might work out for the best. I have seen one out getting a bit to eat and washing up while the other tends the nest. Here's a pic of the Drake and my other duck. She hasn't showed any sign of broodness yet. They are all about 3 yrs old.

And a pic of all four

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks all for the help. I think I'm just going to let them brood in the same nest. It might work out for the best. I have seen one out getting a bit to eat and washing up while the other tends the nest. Here's a pic of the Drake and my other duck. She hasn't showed any sign of broodness yet. They are all about 3 yrs old.


And a pic of all four

Beautiful ducks and look forward to seeing the ducklings.

 

[chickkrzi]

Before I started keeping eggs in there nest I wanted to besure they where fertile, so I put 4 inside my LG incubator with some RIR eggs and this is what I got... 2 cute duckling.

The one in background is the Drake, other a Duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Before I started keeping eggs in there nest I wanted to besure they where fertile, so I put 4 inside my LG incubator with some RIR eggs and this is what I got... 2 cute duckling.
The one in background is the Drake, other a Duck.

oh my goodness

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

@chickkrzi sweet so cute, they are!!! So bill color is sex-linked? Fascinating! I wanted to mention also that when the ducklings are in the shells, but right about to hatch, they sort - of start to stimulate each other to all hatch right about the same time.

 

[Amiga]

 

[chickkrzi]

" that when the ducklings are in the shells, but right about to hatch, they sort - of start to stimulate each other to all hatch right about the same time."

Wow now that's interesting. And yes WH are sex linked by bill color. Pinkish are hens, dark bills are drakes. Welsh harlequins are well rounded ducks. I just wish egg size was lager, my 3 yrs old will lay 68-74 gram eggs. But I should get 5-6 a week year round.

 

[chickkrzi]

Now I have one more question. When the eggs hatch, I will need to remove them from the flock (mainly chickens) and feed the duckling and mom starter /grower until moms ready to return to flock?

 

[DaisyMeadow]

I candled the eggs in the muscovy nest today while mama was away. Four bad ones, but 14 are nearly full of developing babies! I'd guess about a week or less before they're out and running around.

I think the turkey has also started considering sitting on her nest, but I took all her eggs from her as she only likes to sit about 2-3 hours at a time.

Two geese are also busy laying and tending their nest.

Going to start an incubator batch of about 2 doz khakis, 6 welsh harlequin, 6 goose, and 8 turkey eggs tonight. Should make for an eventful first week of April.