Often the owner, coming to the poultry house in the morning, discovers that the nest has been destroyed - half of the eggs have been thrown out. Spoilage of eggs causes losses and reduces the number of hatched clutches. Why do ducks throw eggs out of the nest, and how to avoid trouble? Sometimes there is no reason to worry - ducks independently identify an egg with a dead embryo, but sometimes the matter takes pathological forms. There are many reasons for behavior, and each of them has a separate solution.
Why does an Indian duck throw fertilized eggs and chicks out of the nest?
The period of incubation of chicks depends on the breed. The musk duck normally begins laying in the spring, and embryo development lasts up to 5 months. The first clutch occurs at 6 months. The long term becomes a serious problem when the bird begins to destroy its own nests. During hatching, a number of conditions must be observed:
- Do not disturb the hen during laying.
- Do not touch the nest or move it to another place.
- Do not turn the eggs yourself.
More often than not, a duck will eat its eggs if the poultry farmer does not follow any of these rules. Beginning farmers are especially guilty of this, as they endlessly disturb the duck and do not allow it to sit normally for the required period of time on the clutch. It makes sense to inspect the nest only in mulards, because laying hens of this breed do not feel unfertilized eggs, which can cause further rearing strategies to suffer.
Before laying, it is advisable to make sure that the bird is in good shape, is not exhausted and is receiving the required amount of nutrients and minerals.
Most often, ducks throw out and eat “dead” eggs, without fertilized embryos. Therefore, there is no need to frequently check the clutch - the bird will do it on its own. If you move the nesting area, the duck will leave it and begin to rush elsewhere.
What should you do in this case?
If a duck throws an empty, unfertilized egg, there is no reason to worry. This way the bird frees up space in the nest and does not waste time and energy on hatching dead ducklings. However, if the turkey throws out and eats even good eggs, it may be due to excessive anxiety and nervousness.
Indian ducks often refuse to sit on the clutch if there is no freely available container of water for swimming. Water is very important for ducks - wet feathers keep the hatchlings cool and prevent them from overheating. If there is no water nearby, the duck can destroy the entire clutch and begin to build a nest in another place.
How to avoid problems?
Proper maintenance of the bird, complete rest during incubation and the availability of food, drink and a place to walk are the key to proper raising of ducklings. To do this, you need to make sure that the duck is ready for hatching and does not lack any particular microelements.
The nest should be located in a quiet, non-traversable place, a short distance from feeders and drinkers.
It is prohibited to frighten or touch the ducks, rearrange the nests or try to turn over the clutch. The poultry house should be warm, without drafts or too large passages. Too bright lighting has a detrimental effect on the incubator's ability to hatch.
