What do I do with these Rouen Eggs!?!?

[taylor1982]

We have two Rouens that are almost a year now. We have a male and a female. Our girl has started laying eggs this week (about 1 a day) and we are hoping to have her hatch a few out to grow our flock. I am wondering what we should be doing with the eggs until she gets enough to brood. From what I have read on the boards, they generally won't sit until the nest is full. We live in Ontario, Canada and the temperatures here are around 50 - 65*F during the day and drop down around freezing at night. She sits on them at night, but rarely during the day. We also have 8 hens and many of them will lay their eggs in with her's, allowing them to sit on the bunch for a while during they day, but they are mostly just left in the cool air during the day. I am just worried that being left exposed like this will not help them at all.

Should we be putting them with a heat lamp until there is enough of them for her to sit?

Should we fence her into her own pen with them?

The two of them love to wander our property all day and generally come home to lay, eat, and go to bed. I would hate to separate the two of them if I didn't have to as I know he would be lost without her.

Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated! We would love to see some ducklings this year!

 

[silkiecuddles]

Has the female shown any signs of going broody? If not then I'd either give the eggs to a broody hen or eat them till someone goes broody.
Hope that helped, if not just ask me more questions!

Also, welcome to BYC!

 

[BonRae67]

You can't make them go broody by just leaving the eggs in the nest. She will go broody when she is ready if ever. Not all will brood. Good luck!

 

[taylor1982]

I wouldn't know what signs to even look for. The two of them trot around the yard for most of the day and splash in the water and then come home to bed. They have both always been very protective of their space and run away when we come near. They both run into the coop with the chickens at night for safety as soon as they see us come to close up. Not sure what I am looking for.....

Thanks for any help you can give.

If she doesn't go broody, I don't think I can force my hens to go broody....we don't have a rooster (I don't know if that would contribute to making them broody?)....I am brand new to this! We got the chickens for eggs last spring and they survived the cold winter up here and even snuck out and played in the snow a few times! But these are the first of the duck eggs (we ordered ducks with our chickens as my husband had planned to butcher and eat them last year when he processed our turkeys but the ducks were so cute and playful he couldn't do it).

Thanks for any help you can give!

 

[BonRae67]

Sign of broody is she wont leave the nest. She will protect it. If she is out playing during the day she isn't ready to set yet. That is true with ducks and chickens.