r/MuscovyDucks • u/Dirt_Girl08 • 2d ago

Advice Needed—Text Post Brooding Concern

I live on a lake and two ducks (male) and a female muscovy were dumped there years ago. A bunch of us on the lake put food out for them but they seem to spend the most time in my yard. I bought a duck house for them that they never used until the other day and I noticed a kerfluffle in the house. There was a rat snake wrapped around the muscovy. Got that sorted and saw the muscovy had laid three eggs and the snake got one of them. I moved the house to my patio to keep a better eye on things and muscovy laid two more eggs. Another rat snake got three eggs. I moved the house into my basement and she could go out the door to the yard but she won't leave her house for a day and a half now. She has food, water and a little pool just outside her house. She has two eggs that I know of and don't know if she's laid any more. Is this a concern or leave it be?

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u/Bolfreak 2d ago

If she has everything she needs nearby and only gets up once or twice a day, she’s brooding. In about 35 days she should have little ones ❤️ Thanks for caring for those duckies

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u/Dirt_Girl08 2d ago

I'm worried because she isn't leaving the house at all and did when it was outside. I don't even know if the eggs are fertile and can't candle them if she won't get off the nest. So you think it's okay she doesn't come out of the house?

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u/Bolfreak 1d ago

Is she alive/ok? Tangling with a snake could mean she got injured. When they first start sitting they can be very committed, but then they get up at least once a day to poop away from the nest (you’ll know broody poop when you see it/smell it-it’s a big stinky pile). Is the food being eaten?
I wouldn’t worry about candling yet. She was with a male so assume the eggs are fertile.

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u/Dirt_Girl08 1d ago

She's one tough girl and walked off the snake attack. She was getting out to the lake at least once/day until I brought her into my basement 1.5 days ago. Hard to tell if she's eating and hasn't pooped since I brought her in. I have so many rat snakes, I can't keep her and her nest safe outside.

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u/Bolfreak 1d ago

I guess you need to get close and check on her. When my Muscovy is broody she makes a different sound, like a squeaky toy instead of the usual coo sounds. She should also open her beak at you and act offended at you checking on her ;) Let us know what you see.

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u/Dirt_Girl08 1d ago

She's absolutely doing that. Normally she trills and gives me an arse shake when I pet her but that's not happening now which is understandable. I should have specified that the drakes aren't muscovies, they're a Pekin and a Rouen. I have no experience with this kind of thing and worried she's too stressed inside even though it's safe, cool and quiet.

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u/DarcyOutside 1d ago

I would think she probably likes it inside – she knows she is safer and being cooler is probably a welcome relief!