When will my Muscovy start sitting?

[Tozan]

I have three girls and I started out separating one of the ladies for about 10 days she laid 8 eggs. I also moved some eggs that were laid in the yard into her nest. I decided to separate the drake and put all the girls together now in one coup. The other two are now laying their eggs in the same nest as the first one.

The count today is 23 but, I haven't seen any of them getting broody yet. When do you think one of them will start stepping up to get things going? They are about 10 months old now. Is there any hope for these or should I just start collecting the eggs again.

Here what is was looking like a few days ago like I said there are a lot more now.

 

[nuthatched]

Broodiness is a hormone thing, you can't make them go broody. I bunch of eggs might encourage them, but it won't cause broodiness.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you really want 23 ducklings?
Muscovy are probably the fastest of all ducks to catch the broody hormone. That is the way it is here anyway.
I'd take out all really dirty eggs and toss. Then take a marker and mark the ones you want to leave for hatching All new eggs that get laid get removed unless after 7 days no one has taken the broody bait. Then take all marked eggs and start fresh with the new ones they lay and start marking again. At 10 months they probably haven't been laying long? Mine don't start breeding or laying until after 9 months.

 

[Tozan]

No I don't think I want that many at once my coop is maybe good for 15.

 

[Tozan]

I wonder if the eggs are still good to eat after a week or two sitting in the nest? Day time temps have been in the hundreds out here...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Don’t think I’d try them but you never know they maybe cooked all you’d need is salt and pepper

 

[Tozan]

Well last night and tonight one of them decided to get broody. She only seems to be doing it at night. I guess since it is over 100 degrees in the daytime they should be fine.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Keep an eye out that she comes out to eat and drink once she goes full time. You want her to at least come off the nest once a day to eat, drink, poop, and bathe.

 

[Tozan]

So far she comes out every afternoon to go crazy in the pond. I have feed and water right next to her nest.

 

[Tozan]

I think all three Muscovies stopped laying eggs but, only one is sitting either that or the other two are hiding their eggs now... lol