wet nest

cpt · **Posted:** Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:36 pm

I came home from the fathers day run and had had much needed rain but the nest/eggs were wet and ms duck not sitting. what will happen ? what can I do now? will she return to the nest and if yes will they be Ok? I`m guessing they will be lost.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Mon Sep 06, 2010 10:10 pm

Hi.

How exposed is your nest?
I live in Townsville, and last wet season, a Muscovy sucessfully hatched a batch under a raised hedge rain and all.

If she hasn't gone back to it after a few days, she has probably abandoned it and the eggs would be no good, but otherwise, it might be ok. Ducks seem to know if the eggs are any good or not (at least muscovy's do

)

Good Luck!

cpt · **Posted:** Tue Sep 07, 2010 5:59 pm

She has built her nest under a sprawling plant in the garden. It`s her first season. she wasn`t on it this morning but I saw her mate tending the nest and fussing about fluffy it etc.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:12 pm

How many eggs has she laid? She may not have started 'sitting' yet, as they lay all their eggs before they start sitting in earnest.

They can leave their nest for up to about 1/2, 3/4 of an hour, so you may have just seen her at that time?

They can generally handle a bit of water, so give it a few more days and see what happens.

If she has already been sitting for a week or so, you can take one egg and candle it. If the dark patch inside is moving by itself, the duckling is still alive.

cpt · **Posted:** Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:14 am

she has seven eggs and has been sharing the nest with another (i.e two lots of layers) for a week or so but not sitting all the time.More play than sitting . the other duck has paired off and they stand gaurd always.

cpt · **Posted:** Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:30 pm

I`ve got an extra egg in the nest this morning. That`s eight. Whats going on? [smilie=a_doh.gif]

Are both girls using the nest a different times? I guess this means I`ll have hatchings at different times also if successful. :-?

I saw mumma duck (the one paired off) checking out the nest I made in a lawnmower-catcher this morning and she laid in it for about half hour.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Thu Sep 09, 2010 9:14 pm

Ok.

I would say that if another egg has appeared in the nest, they have not started sitting yet. What I mean by sitting is up to 22 hours a day, only hopping off to have a quick bite to eat, a drink, maybe a quick wash, and straight back on the eggs. They generally won't leave the nest for more than 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour at a time. They do a LOT of sitting (unless they keep getting disturbed).

Also, Muscovy's can lay anywhere up to 17 or 18 eggs depending on your girl, and they won't start 'sitting' until they're happy with how many eggs they have laid. The eggs won't start 'cooking' until she starts sitting properly. The problem with eggs hatching at different times is if she happens to lay some more after she has started, or another duck lays in her nest.

Is this the first time laying for either of the ducks? If that is so, they are still working out what they have to do. Also, the eggs tend to be smaller than standard, so not all may hatch anyway.

When they first start laying their batches, they sometimes take a while to find their spot, so you may find eggs in a few spots until both birds settle down.

Once one of the duck starts sitting, you will need to keep the other duck out of the nest, as they disturb each other, and the success rate is a lot lower. You will also have to keep the drake from chasing her off the nest all the time. This may mean putting some sort of a fence around her nest so they can't annoy her.

I hope this information is helpful!

cpt · **Posted:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:01 pm

Yes it is their first season and I did have some eggs in strange spots also. The problem with caging the nest off is the location she has made it . see pic. I guess I can seperate the yard completely because she is in the garden yard which i usually have a hole for their access. problem is at the moment they are all there most of the day and only go back to their normal yard for a swim and for the night.

Quinces · **Joined:** Fri Sep 10, 2010 8:30 pm **Posts:** 10

Can you fence off that garden area just for her once she does start sitting

cpt · **Posted:** Sat Sep 11, 2010 8:56 am

I can close off the hole on the fence yes. should I leave her mate with her or another female for company ? he ( her mate) follows her and stands gaurd and also tends to/tidies the nest at the moment.If he does leave for a swim,He comes running when she calls.

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