The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: northfifeduckling on May 24, 2014, 12:49:06 pm

Title: it's such a waste....
Post by: northfifeduckling on May 24, 2014, 12:49:06 pm
I am quite sad about having to raid duck nests and undermine their efforts of motherhood. Sometimes when I find them the eggs are visibly "there" but we can't handle any more babies or ducks... :'( I should just get rid of the boy but he's such a beauty and I might change my mind in the years to come...
Title: Re: it's such a waste....
Post by: doganjo on May 24, 2014, 12:59:47 pm
I am quite sad about having to raid duck nests and undermine their efforts of motherhood. Sometimes when I find them the eggs are visibly "there" but we can't handle any more babies or ducks... :'( I should just get rid of the boy but he's such a beauty and I might change my mind in the years to come...
Just eat or bake with them!   :eyelashes: Eggs is eggs, Kerstin!  :roflanim:  Old ones go into the dog bowls here! :innocent:
Title: Re: it's such a waste....
Post by: mentalmilly on May 24, 2014, 01:24:34 pm
No need to get rid of the boy, just eat the eggs.  We have the same problem but having seen the duck sit on eggs for 5 weeks getting nowhere, not having room for ducklings anyway, we now remove the eggs and the ducks scavenge all day quite happy with the drake.
Title: Re: it's such a waste....
Post by: northfifeduckling on May 24, 2014, 04:16:35 pm
We do eat them if I know roughly when they were laid! If I try to keep an I on them the crows or rats usually find them first. Some ducks are very good and I found a few nests where some eggs had a definite shade of life in them....In Indonesia that's a delicacy but not for me! I feel like a killer  :'(
Title: Re: it's such a waste....
Post by: doganjo on May 24, 2014, 09:55:36 pm
I'm afraid I am cruel to my ducks.   :innocent:  I shut them in at night and don't let them out till at least 9 am.  All four girls have usually laid by then.  Then they get their breakfast, and their freedom.  I object strongly to rats and birds getting what I pay good money to produce! :rant:
Title: Re: it's such a waste....
Post by: northfifeduckling on May 24, 2014, 10:00:51 pm
That's not cruel, it's  10 here  ;) . The determined youngsters do hold it in until they can get out, I'm sure of that!  :&>
Title: Re: it's such a waste....
Post by: lord flynn on May 25, 2014, 02:29:11 pm
I know what you mean actually, I feel bad not letting my hens sit-although I only have one who's committed enough to go the whole 21 days so I do let her have a brood a year. Are all ducks more naturally broody?
Title: Re: it's such a waste....
Post by: northfifeduckling on May 28, 2014, 04:00:21 pm
It seems that only the younger ducks are bothered with nesting, probably the same as the hens. None of them has gone broody for a few years or the cockerel's past his best  ::) .