I will take down the divider. When she first started sitting, we culled the eggs down to 11 in one nest and 10 in the other. I think the other girls are laying in one of them also. Because she is sitting 24/7 now, it's been hard for me to get a count. She doesn't stay off them very long at all and she is VERY grumpy when she is. I'm so worried about her abandoning again that I don't push my luck. Should I remove all eggs that aren't fertile? Does an egg show if it's fertile or not on day one? One set is definitely cold.
If you don't notice her coming out to eat poop and bathe I hope you would take her out, sometimes they get so carried away they don't take care of themselves properly. Only way to tell if an egg is fertile on day one is to break open and look for the bullseye, by day 7 you should begin to see development. I'd give her up to 8 eggs only if first time broody and since she abandoned already I'd still call her first time. This is just the way I do it I usually only give first timers 4 eggs. Then if the mama doesn't care for them I can do it without being over whelmed. I don't have the space for a large brooder.This will be my first 24/7 brooder. I think it's the same girl that was sitting on the side of the house but she hadn't committed full time to that nest when I moved it. She started over in the nest box when I moved those eggs to the night pen. I tried candling and I'm no good at it, lol. I can tell fertile from non fertile but that's about it. I guess when I have a real live one I will be able to tell.
I will take down the divider. When she first started sitting, we culled the eggs down to 11 in one nest and 10 in the other. I think the other girls are laying in one of them also. Because she is sitting 24/7 now, it's been hard for me to get a count. She doesn't stay off them very long at all and she is VERY grumpy when she is. I'm so worried about her abandoning again that I don't push my luck. Should I remove all eggs that aren't fertile? Does an egg show if it's fertile or not on day one? One set is definitely cold.
This is great to know. I'm so afraid of her abandoning her eggs again I don't dare try to force her out. Maybe when I become more experiencedat this stuff, lol. IF I don't die from worrying over this one, lol.
Even a cement mixing tub would be nice for her because this is how they keep humidity where it's suppose to be while brooding . I'm glad to hear she is coming out,I've never had any problems since I always made mine come out when I went in and cleaned but I have seen many post here about their ducks not coming out and I have to encourage them to get them outside brooding is hard on them. Keep us updated.She does come out to eat and poop when I put them up at night. The duck pond isn't far from the pen so I haven't put a swimming pool in the pen. Maybe I should because I don't know if she is going to the pond during the day or not to bathe. 8 it will be because I don't want to be overwhelmed period
Glad she enjoyed herself, they really do like to make a scene when broody lol A good led flash light and a dark room works the best. How can you see fertile and non fertile when candling. Only way I never knew to tell if you had a fertile egg was to wait till around day 7 and candle then you see veins beginning to develop. you know you have a fertile egg, only other way is to crack open the egg and look for the bullseye.
I'm thinking she maybe a he, maybe?? lol very pretty all of themShe has a pretty green tint to her now
And about bigger than momma lol
