Davinas' Laid Eggs

[Duck Whisperer]

Hi all,

been a while but the bad weather never came to Staffordshire. So the ducks are fine.

Was windy though, funny watching them get blown of their feet when they were snoozing (in what they thought was a quiet corner) :lol:



Anyway, the pair have been going through the motions of bonking. I'm pretty sure George hasn't grown his doodah yet. But Davina has laid 4 eggs in 3 days? She has made a very nice nest in the nest box of the coop. 3 eggs up there and 1 in the other nest box outside. She has been sitting on them and moving them around. She hasn't laid any more in the last 3 days since. She's eating for Britain.







Initially when the first egg came out she became very subdued and didn't eat for a day or so and wasn't her normal self. Ok now though, flapping around and flirting with George again.

They have plenty of Layers, eat salad and boiled corn like it's going out of fashion, plenty of grit, drink like my Mom used to on a Saturday night and are plenty vocal and mobile.

With all this action what can I take from this info I have provided?

Dave

 

[Marigold]

Hi Dave, it sounds as if your teenage lovers are doing just fine! You may have to watch it with George as if he has only one girlfriend she might get her feathers worn bare from too much bonking. Usually its best if a drake has more than one duck, literally to spread the load. You know what teenage boys are like!
With chickens, its best not to try to hatch the first eggs a pullet lays, as they increase in size as she matures and thus more nourishment becomes available for any developing chicks if their eggs are laid by a more mature hen. Also, young pullets just coming into lay are less likely to go broody, and if they do begin to sit, they often abandon the nest part way through incubation. I'm not a duck expert so I'm not sure if this applies to ducks as well, maybe someone will come on and tell us more, but I thought you should be aware that we both need to find out about this aspect.
It does sound as if you are leaving the eggs where they are laid, in the nestbox . In any case she won't sit on them until she has finished laying her clutch, so you will have some time to research and think about what you want to allow her to do. And if George is not yet fully mature he may be shooting blanks at present anyway.

 

[dorsetduckowner]

What a lovely story! Sounds like your ducks have it made and are very happy
Congratulations! You may be a duck grandparent soon!
Zo

 

[Duck Whisperer]

WOOHOO!

It only took her 14 days but she's now happily sitting. No idea if they are fertilized but Davina and George have been hard at it.

1 question, if the eggs aren't viable. Will she abandon them?

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Congratulations
Its unlikely she will abandon them if they are unviable.
zo
x

 

[Marigold]

How would she know, anyway?

 

[dorsetduckowner]

I have no idea, but wild ducks do push unviable ones out of the nest. No idea how they know, but they do!