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From time to time your duck may go broody. In some ducks this maternal instinct is stronger than others and it can happen at any time. It is quite easy to spot because the broody duck will simply sit in the nesting box (or flower pot!) and refuse to budge. She may also make a peculiar growling noise if disturbed and become quite aggressive. However, unless your duck has been near a drake within the last 7 days the eggs will not be fertilised and will never hatch into ducklings. If you are not removing the eggs everyday there is more chance that a duck will go broody.
What you should do
If you do nothing, your duck will stay like this for up to 3 weeks (the incubation time for eggs).
It is not necessarily a problem but it will prevent your other ducks from laying in the nesting box.
You can remove her from the nest and block the nesting box so that she cannot get in. Be brave, open up the egg port and lift her off.
After a couple of days she will lose the urge to sit on the eggs and you can open up the box again.
Comments
Tom, 4 May 2021
I have a 6 yr old white campbell duck. About 12 months ago her back end dropped and was square as if she’d eaten a square box. Took her to the vets and they gave me Flubenvent added to food for 7 days, no success, tried again no success. Been to 4 vets so far and she’s had blood tests and lots of general antibiotics but no success. She is now moving slowly but still eating. She has lots of poohs. Had this before in another duck and she was cured with antibiotics but can’t remember the name. We have just 2 ducks and a pond with clean running water. She means a lot to me. Can anybody help me please. Thank you. Tom Page 07745 545353.
Helen, 18 April 2020
I bought three call ducks from a breeder. I was assured that they were all female, and none have curly tails. One is now sitting on eggs in the log store and acting broody. Could it be that one of them is a boy? Or could it be a 'phantom' pregnancy where the eggs are unfertilised? Does that happen?
Mark, 12 May 2014
Duck eggs actually take 28 days to hatch with muscovy ducks taking 35
Mark, 12 May 2014
The incubation time for duck eggs is 28 days not 21 as stated above and 35 days for muscovy ducks