Will her eggs be fertile?

[Deleon98]

I have two ducks: a muscovy female and pekin male. I know that they mate because it pretty much happens each time they jump in their pool so i was just wondering if it was possible for my female to hatch eggs. She's been dedicated to her nest these past few days barely leaving it .

 

[sourland]

Fertility can vary in hybrid matings, but generally some of the eggs will hatch. Good luck for a successful incubation.

 

[cyriuskee]

Hey there. As long as your hen has accepted the drake as a suitable male to fertilize her eggs, they will get fertilized. Duck hens actually have a choice whether or not they let that happen even if they usually don't have a choice in which males mate her. Just candle one of her eggs after about 7-8 days to see if it's fertile or break one and look for a white spot in the yolk if you want to know immediately.

Here's a good link about duck mating.

https://www.cuteness.com/article/duck-eggs-fertilized

 

[Deleon98]

So will it be possible to hatch two chicken eggs under her?

 

[sourland]

Understand that chicken eggs will hatch in 21 days; whereas. her eggs will take 35 days. She will very likely leave the nest once the chicks hatch. If you put the chicken eggs under her at day 14 of incubation, it may work. I have never had luck with duck hens raising chicks. They tend to step on them, and the chicks become wet and chilled when the 'mother' ducks goes swimming.

 

[Deleon98]

Understand that chicken eggs will hatch in 21 days; whereas. her eggs will take 35 days.  She will very likely leave the nest once the chicks hatch.  If you put the chicken eggs under her at day 14 of incubation, it may work.  I have never had luck with duck hens raising chicks.  They tend to step on them, and the chicks become wet and chilled when the 'mother' ducks goes swimming.

Makes sense I am just going to take them out then. Itll be hard though cause shes like never off the nest XD

 

[junebuggena]

They can produce viable eggs that will hatch. However, the offspring will not be able to reproduce at all. Pekin are a mallard derived breed. Muscovy are a different species. Similar to horses and donkeys. They are closely related enough to produce offspring, but the offspring will be sterile.

 

[bydhatch]

On a related topic, were you worried about him injuring her during mating?! My 13 week olds have started mating behavior in the water and he is aggressive with her, grabbing her neck. I am only letting them swim supervised right now.

 

[Deleon98]

I woke up and found this this morning! Is that what a hatching egg is suppose to look like? And if this little guy hatches how long do the others have to hatch befo re momma duck abandons the nest? Will taking the babe away after it hatches keep her nesting?

 

[cyriuskee]

You may want to move the first few hatchlings to a brooder with a heat lamp to avoid having her leave the nest. Mama could also trample the hatchlings if she's still brooding on her nest.
(Did you have to help that guy out?)