Broody call duck

[pigdogduck]

2 of my call ducks have decided to turn broody, but how long should they sit on their nests for? I'm assuming as long as possible, but unfortunately one has a nest in the house and one under the hedge and then she abandons her eggs at night to go indoors. Ideas?

If I move her eggs to a separate house and run will she sit on them or reject them?

 

[Clive]

Don't know much about this myself but my wife has ducks and she takes the eggs and incubates them away from the ducks

They rarely seem to hatch left to their own devices from what I have seen

 

[grumpy]

Don't know much about this myself but my wife has ducks and she takes the eggs and incubates them away from the ducks

They rarely seem to hatch left to their own devices from what I have seen

ooh never gets old

 

[suffolksmallholder]

24 days. We've moved our ducks eggs to a more suitable place such as a duck house. Normally there's not much trouble. They will sit on 20+ eggs if you let them so if she's still laying that's not a problem. Wait a little bit plus count the eggs to see if she's up to a good number. When she's sitting properly you will know for sure. You can take a few then to reduce numbers.
SS

 

[llamedos]

As above, if she is leaving the out door nest of her own will to come in, she isn't sitting tight yet, as SS says she may continue to lay more yes, best hatch I had was from a welsh harlequin 28 hatches out of 32, Muscovy are also a brilliant brood duck for anything even hens eggs. once she is sitting tight she wont want to move at all.

 

[Philip Watkins]

24 days. We've moved our ducks eggs to a more suitable place such as a duck house. Normally there's not much trouble. They will sit on 20+ eggs if you let them so if she's still laying that's not a problem. Wait a little bit plus count the eggs to see if she's up to a good number. When she's sitting properly you will know for sure. You can take a few then to reduce numbers.
SS

Thought ducks were 28 days. Chicken 21, pheasant 24.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Thought ducks were 28 days. Chicken 21, pheasant 24.

You are correct, I mis-typed! (number dyslexia) Remembered just now and you are ahead of my. Thanks
SS

 

[pigdogduck]

You are correct, I mis-typed! (number dyslexia) Remembered just now and you are ahead of my. Thanks
SS

I thought call ducks were 24 days due to being a smaller breed.

 

[Philip Watkins]

@llamedos I see muscovy ducks are 35 day incubation!

 

[Philip Watkins]

I thought call ducks were 24 days due to being a smaller breed.

I've just had a look at British Call Duck Club, half way down the page (mechanical incubators) it says 26 days, so we are all wrong!

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Having discussed this with the boss, a rule of thumb with this is the bigger the bird the longer the time. One of our chickens has just done 23 days and yesterday started hatching.......5 with more to come. A much smaller chicken went 20 days. Our muscovys are on 30 on the calendar, so a little bit to go. We allow a bit either side of the numbers owing to the sizes of the females. Plus I add in a little bit of dyslexia and presto
SS

 

[llamedos]

@llamedos I see muscovy ducks are 35 day incubation!

Treat Muscovy eggs as Goose eggs some start pipping at 28 days up to 35.
Edit, just to add I used a Muscovy duck mainly as a broody, if she found any clutches of hidden eggs she would collect them and sit at the drop of a hat.