- Thread starter
- #21
ro.netcmarie :
ok here is my situation with my pekin duck. 1. she made a nest under a brush pile that we was going to burn, but the dog got them before i could put any into the bator. 2. she made another nest in the yard in a BIG leaf pile, so i took all 4 eggs and put them into the bator. 3. now she has made a 3rd nest next to the house with 7 eggs in it. i am not going to take the eggs this time, and wiil watch the dog to make sure she doesnt go near it. i did see her(the duck) over at it this mornig, but not sure if she is sitting on them. they are all free range ducks, they have full access to EVERYTHING around my house. so i want her to hatch these eggs, but not sure if she will. it is raining on them, i want to cover it to see if she sets, but i am scared if i do she will leave it and make yet another nest. please help, any input will help alot.
Not all ducks are made to go broody. If your duck has NEVER tried before and doesn't fight you or get upset when you take the eggs, she just might not be motherly. You can tell if she is really setting because:
1) she will be there almost all day
2) she will puff up and try to fight you for the eggs
If this is not the case then it is possible your Pekin just isn't ready to set. Some are never going to be mothers. Others have a gift. Out of my 5 pekin girls only 2 have ever had a successful hatches. The others i believe are not really fertile. Like SundownWaterfowl kind of said, specialty birds (like Pekins or Leghorns for example) have lost some natural traits from our breeding choices. These birds were bred with intent to live 7 months and thats pretty much it.
ok here is my situation with my pekin duck. 1. she made a nest under a brush pile that we was going to burn, but the dog got them before i could put any into the bator. 2. she made another nest in the yard in a BIG leaf pile, so i took all 4 eggs and put them into the bator. 3. now she has made a 3rd nest next to the house with 7 eggs in it. i am not going to take the eggs this time, and wiil watch the dog to make sure she doesnt go near it. i did see her(the duck) over at it this mornig, but not sure if she is sitting on them. they are all free range ducks, they have full access to EVERYTHING around my house. so i want her to hatch these eggs, but not sure if she will. it is raining on them, i want to cover it to see if she sets, but i am scared if i do she will leave it and make yet another nest. please help, any input will help alot.
Not all ducks are made to go broody. If your duck has NEVER tried before and doesn't fight you or get upset when you take the eggs, she just might not be motherly. You can tell if she is really setting because:
1) she will be there almost all day
2) she will puff up and try to fight you for the eggs
If this is not the case then it is possible your Pekin just isn't ready to set. Some are never going to be mothers. Others have a gift. Out of my 5 pekin girls only 2 have ever had a successful hatches. The others i believe are not really fertile. Like SundownWaterfowl kind of said, specialty birds (like Pekins or Leghorns for example) have lost some natural traits from our breeding choices. These birds were bred with intent to live 7 months and thats pretty much it.
