will my duck get broody?

[5fathens]

we have a family of 5 call ducks 4 boys and only one girl, she has started to lay again this week and as the weather is getting warmer I wondered if there is any way of knowing if she might get broody? Is there anything I can do to encourage broodiness? it would be lovely if she hatched some little ones especially if there were some girls to even things up a bit.
many thanks

 

[sourland]

Well, the first thing that I would do would be to separate her into her own area with one drake. That many drakes may injure or even drown her if you have a pool for them. If you allow her to build a clutch of eggs undisturbed by all of those drakes she may set and raise a brood of ducklings.

 

[5fathens]

thanks, sorry for some reason I totally missed your reply before. unfortunately you were right the pesky boys have been horrible to her so I have a separate pen for her in the day now, does it matter which boy joins her? she is hiding behind the hens they share with at night and the lovely old grandmother hen is guarding her from the boys.

 

[Going Quackers]

Does she have one that appeals to her more? they do have favorites. ALso colors? what have you got.. definitely need to sort that ratio better as SL says... no way would i breed with that.. call babies are super duper small and delicate.

As for broodiness i find them hit n miss.. some of mine did last year, others never showed so much as a sign too.