I have runner ducks and we have a batch of 4 eggs. I've checked and they're fertilised and marked them. They should have be hatched by now. But she is very aggressive towards anyone who goes near, so I'm not able to check without upsetting her. So as she is sitting on them I've left her alone, but today I found one of the eggs broken and discarded to the side of the nest. I can't see any ducklings or hear anything over her hissing. She lifted up slightly as I approached and I got a glimpse of eggs still under her. Will she have the duckling under her or has she killed it and if so what do I do now. I don't want to lose them all.
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There are a lot of unknowns here--like are these ducks you are raising or is this a situation in the wild. Are they inside/outside/in a protected area or out in the open?
So my general advice is that it is best to just let nature take its course. It is possible the baby hatched and did not make it or the mom disposed of it because it was not viable, or was taken by a predator.
Your best bet is to keep the family safe and block predators as best you can and see what happens if it is outside. If it is inside, just leave them be.
Also if this is out in the wild, you could always call your local bird refuge/wildlife refuge and ask for help.
We have some good ones where I am and they will take eggs and hatch them safely if they are viable and then release them when they are ready. They usually only do this when the situation is considered dangerous.
If you purchased the ducks to raise, you could always contact the place you bought them for guidance.
Post back with an update. Prayers for good outcomes!
They are my pet ducks Ive had for a few yrs but theyve never sat on eggs before. They are outside in an secure enclosure. The breeder I originally bought them from told me to move her whole nest to somewhere secure as the males can attack babys. So her and her nest have been moved inside to somewhere secure. Shes been sat on them ever since. I never intended to have chicks its just she managed to do this on the sly as they tend to drop eggs wherever.
Also managed to remove broken discarded egg and it was the one I wasnt sure of bein fertile..
Thanks for the update! Mother Nature is so amazing!! I sure hope all works out well!! Blessings and prayers to all!!
So cute!!! Thanks for the update!! Blessings!!
You cannot do anything. If a predator came she will end up abandoning all the eggs. Leave her and the eggs alone and hope for the best. Good luck.
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