1st Duck Egg! and questions...

[BarefootMom]

So here is my first ever duck egg!

I have 9 muscovey hens and 1 muscovey drake...and there has been a ton of mating going on so I think it is probably fertile. She layed it in the igloo dog house I have next to the coop...I put some more hay in there this morning. Should I leave the egg in there and hope that she lays more or what? I would love to have baby ducks! How many eggs do they usually lay before they sit on them? How long will the egg be okay until she sits on them?? Sorry for all the questions but I have only had ducks for about 3 weeks!

 

[duckking]

It seems that ducks will wait until they lay 8-16 eggs before they will sit on them. I would put it back they way you found it, mine bury theirs under the straw, and then just wait and let nature take it's course. It takes about 28 days to hatch them once she starts sitting on them. Good Luck!

 

[HamandLily]

Just wanted to meention that hay is not a good type of bedding to use for ducks because it can cause incurable respiratory problems if it is wet or old - straw is much better!

 

[BarefootMom]

So I got 2 more eggs this morning...but they weren't with the other one b.c the ducks decided to spend the night in the hen house last night (it was cold and rainy) - should I put the 2 other eggs with the other one from yesterday? Will a duck ever sit on them?

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Barefoot I am in the same boat as you. Mine just started laying and of all places to lay she wandered into the garage and is under a chest freezer that is up on cinderblocks. The floor of course is cement and I am afraid when she does start to set the eggs will get moved around and break on the hard flooring.. does anyone know what I can do to fix that problem also?