HELP!!!My Muscovy's been broody for 6 weeks!!!-part 1 & 2

MadformyMuscovy · **Joined:** Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 20

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[color=#0000FF]Hi Fellow Forum Users, could really do with your advice regarding my 2yr old Muscovy duck Cleo....
She's been broody for 6 weeks now and counting and I've tried everything to snap her out of it!!!! When she first went broody I started locking her out of her zinc fowl house (where she sleeps in a wooden nesting box lined with sand and cane mulch) and of course, I took her eggs away every morning after she laid them (usually I leave the fresh egg in her box and remove the egg she laid the day before) Of course, she was none too happy about this arrangement and instead set up camp outside her fowl house on the ground next to her water and food bowl (her fowl house in located underneath our deck at the bottom of our back stairs so is very well shaded and protected) As per her broody ways, she sets off a series of peeps and honks every time either or both of us come within her line of vision :-D

and she goes right off her brain with a cresendo of peeping, honking, head down, wings up whenever we come down the back stairs to go into the backyard or out the gate to the laundry etc She sounds like someone's trying to kill her at times (which I'm sure has crossed my partners mind in the last 6 weeks....explanation to come....) :lol:

I'm still able to pat her more or less...sometimes she nibbles my hand, other times she's outright vicious and bites my hand or forearm and twists her head sideways (like she's giving me a chinese burn....owwww) but she's totally out of control when it comes to my partner....(when she's not broody she follows him around like a dog and hits him up for pats and treats in the garden like a piece of spring onion etc) since she went broody, everytime she sees him (when he's out watering the garden of an afternoon for eg...he's a mad keen gardener and an excellent one too I might add :razz:

)...........part 2 of post to come.........

MadformyMuscovy · **Joined:** Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 20

.............she stretches out her neck and tries to bite him when he walks past her and after a while she will get up and start stalking him around the garden (head down, wings up looking similar to an old fashioned Hoover vacuum cleaner :razz:

) and full-on chase him whilst trying to bite him on the back of the ankles. Sometimes she will try to "stealth attack" him and come up behind him and try to have a go. If she's really p*&@##$ off she will fly at him from behind and attack him!!!! :shock:

all this is accompanied by the usual peeping,honking and cacking sounds......(sigh)... yet she doesn't behave like this with me at all???? Anyhoo, I've taken to now guarding my partner whilst he's out in the yard by either standing in front of Cleo with the straw broom (she hates that broom, only have to pick it up and she goes off peeping and honking and running away) or standing close by with the straw broom. I've also been making her get up and walk around the yard every 2-3 hrs hoping that this may snap her out of it (thinking that it's gotta be better than letting her sit there on the ground and just brood). I've also begged and pleaded and cajoled (

of course I know that's going to do squat diddley) but so far nothings worked!!!! My man and I are at our wit's end!!!!! (and he's sick of being attacked everyday.....is bl$#%%y hilarious sometimes if I'm perfectly honest...not so fun for my partner though!!!!

So, I'm here throwing myself on your mercy!!!!! Any advice from more knowledgeable folk than myself will be greatly appreciatied. Thanks for taking the time to read about my predicament.
Cheers,
Monica

ColacWaterfowl · **Posted:** Fri Feb 08, 2013 9:20 pm

I will have to read it fully tomorrow before commenting

Welcome to the forum

MadformyMuscovy · **Joined:** Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 20

Thanks so much for your welcome. Look forward to receiving your reply and advice :-D

ColacWaterfowl · **Posted:** Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:11 am

This behavior is normal for a broody muscovy and the best option is to do 1 of 2 things

1 - Give her fertile eggs to hatch and allow her to complete the breeding process.

2 - Continue to take away the eggs and she will stop in time. If she is a big problem then lock her in a cage so she cannot attack your partner and use a wire floor cage this will speed up the return to normal activity

Neda · **Joined:** Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:21 am **Posts:** 1

1 of my ducks took over 2 months to stop wanting to sit on an empty nest I did feel sorry for her and thought about giving her some chook eggs

ColacWaterfowl · **Posted:** Thu Feb 14, 2013 12:43 pm

Thats normal they have an internal clock sometimes its running slow :lol:

MadformyMuscovy · **Joined:** Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 20

Thanks so much for your replies.....We gave her some fertilised eggs last year to hatch out which she did successfully :-D

and she's been off the lay for over 5 weeks.....but I'm pleased to report she's now started to snap out of her broodiness finally thank God!!! I honestly thought she'd turned for good this time!!!! [smilie=a_rolling.gif]

Usually she's only broody for 2-3 weeks, this time was the longest by far......but I'll take your suggestions on board for next time (and there will be a next time!!!

)

Thanks again for all your help

Weston · **Posted:** Sat Feb 16, 2013 7:15 am

With any luck next time you will have more fertile eggs for her

chooklover101 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 16, 2013 8:22 am

classic joke of ducks and humans!!!!!!!!! [smilie=banana.gif]

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