The Broody Duck Thread for 2014

[Miss Lydia]

Ok I checked the egg again and could feel some movement and could hear tapping but momma is just not going back???? She just keeps taking baths lol. Now what??? Thanks for all your help btw!!!

Wheres the other duckling that hatched? can you put this egg under a warm light in a bowl with a wet paper towels under it and loosely wrapped around it then put plastic wrap over top with holes punched in the wrap this will help with humidity and hopefully will keep the duckling from getting shrink wrapped. I will try to get you some help to get info just right on this.

 

[Mrs.H]

Wheres the other duckling that hatched? can you put this egg under a warm light in a bowl with a wet paper towels under it and loosely wrapped around it then put plastic wrap over top with holes punched in the wrap this will help with humidity and hopefully will keep the duckling from getting shrink wrapped. I will try to get you some help to get info just right on this.

The other one that hatched was either staying with her in the house or the other duck would take it outside, pretty much babysitting. The mom was laying on the eggs this morning. Do you think maybe she knows something is not right with it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

The other one that hatched was either staying with her in the house or the other duck would take it outside, pretty much babysitting. The mom was laying on the eggs this morning. Do you think maybe she knows something is not right with it?

I don't know but can you get her back inside and her duckling and close her up, maybe that will get her back on the nest.

 

[livininbrazil]

Oops quoted myself lol

How long has she been off? Ducks can stay off eggs for up to an hour, depending on the temperature.Hopefully she´s already gone back and everything is ok.
But, if you feel you need to rescue them, you can pop them into a little cardboard box with a 60w bulb over the top, get a thermometer (keep the mercury in the shade) and try to keep the temperature around the 98 mark, as they´re pretty well ready, don´t need it to be too perfect,. I put clingfilm over the top of the box to keep the humidity up a bit, and once they´re externally pipped, just lightly spray to keep the membrane from drying. Of course, mum duck does all this when she goes for a bath and comes back with damp feathers. I also put wettish kitchen paper over the top of the egg to keep the direct heat off a bit, and it also helps humidity. I´ve hatched out quite a few this way. Hope all goes well.

 

[livininbrazil]

The other one that hatched was either staying with her in the house or the other duck would take it outside, pretty much babysitting. The mom was laying on the eggs this morning. Do you think maybe she knows something is not right with it?

Mum duck has decided that her live baby needs to be off out and the unhatched one has had long enough...doesn´t mean there´s something wrong with it, though. Have a go.

I don't know but can you get her back inside and her duckling and close her up, maybe that will get her back on the nest.

Might work.

 

[Mrs.H]

It's been over an hour she's just been bathing herself while the other duck has the baby, however it's warm here. Attempted to kidnap duckling to put in the house with the eggs but I was up against 2 mommas, did not work. However made her mad enough to quit bathing and she went back inside!

 

[livininbrazil]

It's been over an hour she's just been bathing herself while the other duck has the baby, however it's warm here. Attempted to kidnap duckling to put in the house with the eggs but I was up against 2 mommas, did not work. However made her mad enough to quit bathing and she went back inside!

So is she back on the nest now? Is the egg cheeping? If so, she may stick with it.

 

[Mrs.H]

So is she back on the nest now?  Is the egg cheeping?  If so, she may stick with it.  

Yes she's on the nest! I had felt movement and heard tapping when I had checked while she was off. So fingers crossed!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes she's on the nest! I had felt movement and heard tapping when I had checked while she was off. So fingers crossed!

Thanks livin for coming over. Lets hope she stick on the nest now. Getting wet does help keep the humidity up on the egg she just got carried away. lol Keep us updated.

 

[Ren2014]

I have read of moving it with a snow shovel and showing her the nest, sometimes it works sometimes not. But she's not going to be much good as a broody if she's done in by a predator. I would rather risk the broodiness than the duck. And there are incubators.

She won't be happy with you moving her eggs but I'd do it anyway. place something over this nest to keep her off of it after you stir up the mulch or she'll go right back to it. They can be pretty stubborn about their nest sites. But she can lay more eggs and try again if she abandons these.

We moved the nest today. Momma's not happy but all are safe and secure in the duck pen now.