Can You Decrease Clutch Size?

[Indiana Dunn]

I have a 3 year old Rouen duck who we got recently from another duck owner. She wasn’t laying when we got her, but because of the new environment and new mate, she started to lay. Obviously I won’t let her keep any eggs now as it’s winter, but in the spring I would like to have her keep some and hatch some chicks. The problem is, the clutch size she almost always stops at is 5 eggs, and I don’t really have the space for 5 more ducks. If I let her keep say 2 eggs and keep taking any extras, will she eventually start to incubate those eggs, or will I have to take them all and just incubate a few myself?

 

[Boonie Stomper]

You could addle 3 eggs and leave 2 unaddled so only 2 can hatch.

 

[MillersFarm]

I'd just wait until she's satisfied with her clutch, take away a few and keep taking away extras.. Although I would set more than just 2 just in case if one or even both don't hatch.

 

[happyhens1972]

You could addle 3 eggs and leave 2 unaddled so only 2 can hatch.

This is a good idea but it might be worth swapping out the addled eggs a few times during the process to ensure you don't get a rotten egg explosion that kills your fertile eggs. That would mean marking the eggs so you could determine which are which xx

 

[Abriana]

What does addling an egg mean?

 

[Boonie Stomper]

The process of addling involves temporarily removing fertilize eggs from the nest, testing for embryo development, terminating embryo development, and placing the egg back in the nest.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_egg_addling
Basically just shake the egg up and put it back.

 

[Abriana]

The process of addling involves temporarily removing fertilize eggs from the nest, testing for embryo development, terminating embryo development, and placing the egg back in the nest.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goose_egg_addling

Oh ok, thanks!

 

[happyhens1972]

Oh ok, thanks!

They suggest coating them in corn oil which then deprives the egg of oxygen so it can't develop.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Fake eggs added after 2 fertile eggs laid may also work. Mark the 2 so you can remove any extras to do with as you wish. No question of good eggs vs bad in the nest this way.

 

[Abriana]

They suggest coating them in corn oil which then deprives the egg of oxygen so it can't develop.

Makes sense, maybe I’ll try that sometime.