Broody Betty is about to become a Mommy!!!

Anticipation is at an all-time high around our homestead. Betty the duck went broody and hid a nest of eggs. She has been sitting on them for weeks. I had tried to calculate her “due date” and came up with July 10 or 11. Well Betty I guess has thrown a monkey wrench in my calculations!

A broody duck will sit on a nest for 28 days in order to hatch out her eggs and Betty has been B-R-O-O-D-Y!!! She leaves her nest twice a day to eat, drink and take a bath. Her mate, Bill, while he spends a bit more time wandering the yard, has been by her side “holding her wing” through this whole thing. He has been so attentive to her and makes sure when she leaves the nest the eggs are covered nicely with straw, almost like he is tucking them in!

Today is the 7th of July and this morning when I went out to tend our critters, four of Betty’s eggs had started to pip!!!! Pipping is when the duckling inside the egg begins to tap the shell from the inside in order to break out and be born. Someone seems to have been sitting on her nest a little longer then I knew!!! That or her ducklings are going to be over achievers. Either way, they are on their way and the country kids and I are on pins and needles.

I have closed Betty in her pen to keep her safe, much to
Bill’s dismay. I just don’t want the chickens bugging her in her final hours of
sitting. If a duckling is born, I don’t want it to be picked on by anyone
(daddy duck or the chickens) or to accidently wander off. Maybe I am being silly,
but letting Betty hatch eggs is a first time experience for both her and I and
I guess I am being an overly cautious grandma. *wink*
It is hard not to just sit out in the shed and wait for something to happen. I know, realistically, we are looking at around 24 hours before the first duckling is out. I guess I will just have to leave it up to Bill to keep Betty company and help her breath. I wonder if they have duck Lamaze?!?!? I wonder if they have freaked out farm girl Lamaze!??!?!  Fingers crossed for Bill and Betty as they are about to become proud parents!!
Duck birthing ward, complete with nervous father!

12 thoughts on “Broody Betty is about to become a Mommy!!!

    1. I am going made over here. I can even hear them peeping through their pip holes now! Yet no one has hatched out.

  1. Ah what a great story 🙂 Congrats and she's a good Mom!

  2. Better gets plenty of boy & girl names wrote down so you all can name them. Know the boys are excited too!

  3. Keep your eyes open. Bet they come out today the 7th. Lol after all doing everything ahead of schedule.

    1. It was nerve racking LOL and exciting. I don't know who was worse, Bill or myself waiting for them to hatch

  4. There is certainly always something going on at your place! Thanks for sharing another episode with us at #WednesdaysWisdom

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