Broody Appleyard

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Hello everyone
can i just apologise in advance for asking questions which have undoubtedly been covered and I have looked but cant find the answers.......new members.....we are a pain arnt we....sorry.

We have 2 Aylesburys ( 1 drake and 1 duck) and 2 Appleyards (both ducks).
we got them last October as youngsters, about 2 or 3 months old and have loved having them, they are such funny creatures.....lovely.

Just recently we decided we would like some more, and were deciding between new ducks or letting ours brood. Anyway we decided on the natural process of letting our ducks do their thing. We have been having 3 eggs a day for several weeks now and thought it might be the time to let them progress.

Can someone answer a question or two and also correct me in what i have misunderstood.

Our ducks are laying 1 egg each (we think.....either way there are 3 each day), however we dont know who's is who's as they are always close together.

Margo (Tom, Barbara, Margo and Geri!!!!!) is the one who is sitting when we go out in the mornings but she happily spends all day wandering round the garden with the other 3.

So, as I think I understand it.....

Margo wont be too fussed about sitting on the eggs until she has gathered enough to keep her happy, around 10 or so??

What happens to all the eggs until she is happy?
Are they just wasted?
When she sits will only the newest one hatch?
If she is only laying 1 a day do we need to try and seperate hers or do we just have to let all 3 waste each day or will she just count all 3 as hers.
Will she move the one she knows is hers?

any help would be greatly appreciated as we want to ensure we are letting things progress naturally and dont want to upset the ducks in any way.

regards
Neil.
 
Hello Neil, firstly, they will lay each day - normally anywhere- sometimes they will make a nest- what you need to do is collect the eggs each day- leaving one in the nest- mark them with the date- store them point down in an egg tray/box and turn them daily- try to keep them cool but not in the fridge. Collect enough to hatch- say 8-10 then you can use the oldest ones to eat- replacing them with the newest-always having a clutch on stand by -that way when ,and if ( as all ducks dont go broody) you get a broody duck - let her sit for a day or two and then give her your stored "clutch" you would need to make sure the other ducks were not laying in the same nest as the broody duck or the eggs will increase and develop at different times. If this is happening either try to separate the others or remove the new eggs each morning. They will hatch in 28 days and normally the other ducks or drake will not bother them. hope this all makes sense!
regards, David :)
 
yes it does thank you.
is there a point when she will just sit on the nest and just not leave it or will she continue to wander about.

thanks for your help and advice.
neil.
 
Hi, yes, once she is broody she will be on the nest all the time- only coming off once or twice a day for some food and a quick bath- some ducks line the nest with feathers/down.
regards, David
 
thank you so much for your help, its greatly appreciated
neil.
 
i have a male and female min silver appleyard last year was the first year of laying so it was new to me and donald and daisy so i just left her to it to a degree laying everyday when she was up to 12 eggs she started to sit i was on pins timing her when she was off the nest sending her back in when i thought she had been away to long hubbie thought i had totaly lost the plot, looking back i shouldnt have worried and jusy feft them to it, dead on 28days later a little head poped up out of the nest and by the end of the day all 12 hatched with mum and dad making a great fuss of them they grew very quickly hope u have as much joy as i had
maryann
 
Thanks for that, I was just about to post again reference the sitting game......
Barbara took it upon herself to sit on the nest today. She only came off when the other 3 ducks went into the house and chaffed at her....she got up, went for a stroll about the garden, had a bath etc and then meandered back to the nest, but i would think she was off the nest for about an hour or so. They went back and got her again this evening and she was only off for about 5 mins this time.
Do they continue to lay once they start sitting???
Is it (according to your post maryann...yes) normal for them to wander off for a bit and then go back?

exciting....isnt it!!!!

Neil.
 
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