- Sep 24, 2011
- 26
- 0
- 22
I have 4 mallard hens and I am getting 3 eggs in the same nest every morning. The past 2 days I have found one in and by the swimming pool as well. They started laying over a month ago where ever they were at in the yard so I put them up in the coop and only let them out after there are new eggs that day. I thought that had solved the egg hunting until the past couple of days.
Well the egg hunts were a minor problem compared to what they are doing now. I started dating the eggs after a couple of weeks then threw out the older 7. When it got to 17, I put the oldest 5 in the incubator and left them with only 12 hoping one of the hens would think her clutch was complete. No one will take claim of the nest so the collecting has gone on with me taking 2 another time. After counting and dating for a few weeks I finally made my last ditch effort at making other nest with "dummy" eggs in them. I had tried before with no luck, they just trample the nest I make. So there were 18 eggs I put 15 in the bator and left 1 each in 3 nest and crossed my fingers. The next morning my nest were again trampled and 3 new eggs sat in that same nest with the one I had left alone.
So now I have 22 eggs in the incubator with 3 different hatch dates (there will be a different incubator for hatching), 12 in the nest, and for the 2 that I found by and in the pool they are sitting in what is left of my fake nest being ignored completely.
When all of this began I rationalized it with the fact they are only 6 months old and don't know what to do, now it is driving me crazy with no end in sight. My plan is that day after tomorrow there should be 18, I will take another 15 (to incubate) and let them continue to lay. If the count stays at 3 a day, I will only leave 1 in the nest and the other 2 fresh eggs to the refrigerator for cooking every day there after. Then give them about a week of that and if still none of them claim the nest I guess I will just put the rest in the incubator and take all laid after that to the fridge.
Whew!!
Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions? Am I doing something wrong?
It's really neat to nurture the eggs and see development when candle. I am proud to say that I have 7 eggs with blood vessels and will know about the other 15 in a day or two. I want to give these girls enough opportunity to find their instincts, however I am beginning to get overwhelmed with so many eggs and the thought of what I will do with all of the ducklings this close to winter if the older ducks aren't friendly with them. How many of these eggs can I really expect to hatch successfully? Will they ever stop laying???
HELP!!!
Well the egg hunts were a minor problem compared to what they are doing now. I started dating the eggs after a couple of weeks then threw out the older 7. When it got to 17, I put the oldest 5 in the incubator and left them with only 12 hoping one of the hens would think her clutch was complete. No one will take claim of the nest so the collecting has gone on with me taking 2 another time. After counting and dating for a few weeks I finally made my last ditch effort at making other nest with "dummy" eggs in them. I had tried before with no luck, they just trample the nest I make. So there were 18 eggs I put 15 in the bator and left 1 each in 3 nest and crossed my fingers. The next morning my nest were again trampled and 3 new eggs sat in that same nest with the one I had left alone.
So now I have 22 eggs in the incubator with 3 different hatch dates (there will be a different incubator for hatching), 12 in the nest, and for the 2 that I found by and in the pool they are sitting in what is left of my fake nest being ignored completely.
When all of this began I rationalized it with the fact they are only 6 months old and don't know what to do, now it is driving me crazy with no end in sight. My plan is that day after tomorrow there should be 18, I will take another 15 (to incubate) and let them continue to lay. If the count stays at 3 a day, I will only leave 1 in the nest and the other 2 fresh eggs to the refrigerator for cooking every day there after. Then give them about a week of that and if still none of them claim the nest I guess I will just put the rest in the incubator and take all laid after that to the fridge.
Whew!!
Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions? Am I doing something wrong?
It's really neat to nurture the eggs and see development when candle. I am proud to say that I have 7 eggs with blood vessels and will know about the other 15 in a day or two. I want to give these girls enough opportunity to find their instincts, however I am beginning to get overwhelmed with so many eggs and the thought of what I will do with all of the ducklings this close to winter if the older ducks aren't friendly with them. How many of these eggs can I really expect to hatch successfully? Will they ever stop laying???
HELP!!!