Here's a fascinating thing: I have ducks. That is not the fascinating part... they are indian runner ducks, meaning they are runner ducks of some unknown malaysian origin (not indian. confusing, I know). But born (hatched) in Sweden (my kitchen).
Anyway, the ducks were 4: one male, Pippin, and his 3 ladies: Frodo, Merry and Bilbo (shh, nevermind the names). Merry decided a couple of weeks ago that she wanted baby ducks, and laid herself on top of a few eggs I had left in case someone wanted to brood.
Merry has built the most amazing nest for her eggs! Its... roughly 2 dm tall, made of cut straw that I use as ground bedding in their house. When Merry leaves the nest, she covers all eggs with straw?! To keep them warm? So clever of her. >
> Tonight when I went out to say goodnight to the ducks, I discovered that Merry had MOVED her entire nest?! She was out in the pond for a swim with her friends, and the nest was moved to the other side of the house. It has the same shape, and eggs were very neatly covered with straw as always.
Where the nest used to be, a few eggs laid in the remaining ground straw. I picked them up, took them in and lit them up: and surely, Merry was right. There was no living ducklings in the eggs, they were all dead or unfertilized.
How amazing is that? Not only she decides to get broody and have ducklings, she also knows to keep them warm and to remove non-living eggs?!
She is a better mom than any of my chickens, that's for sure.
@ceciliawords Those are some good looking ducks. Thanks for sharing! I can't believe she moved her whole nest like that.
There was also a duck named Pippin in Oregon, though she unfortunately died a few years ago. Thanks for reminding me of her.
@james What a sweetie your Pippin was!! Beautiful. Ducks are funny lil birds.