Can you help answer my duck question?

[casslarrabee225]

I've read that ducks won't lay fertile eggs in the Winter. I live in Maine and we have some harsh Winters. I tried incubating an egg last week and it wasn't fertile. I put another one in today hoping this one will be. SO, will my duck lay fertile egg right now? (she is alone with two males)

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

You can always check them for the bullseye by cracking them open and checking. As far being with two drakes, when the weather warms and hormones rage you won't want her to be the only girl. They can hurt her when trying to over mate and compete for her.

If you see mating now she may or may not be laying fertile eggs.

 

[casslarrabee225]

I've been searching and posting ad's looking for more females to add. No one around me has any. ( I have seen mating and the back of her neck is showing it. She is losing feathers on the back of her neck where one male gets on her and the dominant one will force him off. I'm hoping to get more females soon.

 

[berniezahm]

If you have seen the drake/drakes covering your hen, then fertility or seeming lack there of may well be an issue of how cold the eggs are getting before you take them for hatching. Maine is normally much colder than where I live, 25 miles north of Baltimore. I know that duck eggs I find when I first go out in the morning normally don't hatch this time of year. But the eggs I find during the day that were not there in the morning usually will, if I'm checking and collecting frequently during the day.

 

[veronicasmom]

Where in Maine do you live? The Nevins Farm in Methuen Mass has many ducks for adoption. I live in Southern ME and have gotten all my ducks there. It is about an hour and a half south of us.
I really recommend getting some girls soon. Or at the very least separating them for a bit. I know that seems hard, but it will be harder for you if they hurt or kill her by overmating. I know you said you are trying. There are other people on here from ME. Maybe you can see if any of them have some females for sale.
Good luck.

 

[casslarrabee225]

I live in Waldo County. Mass is too far for us to travel. I've posted on craigslist and uncle henrys for wanted females. I posted the "dominant" male on craigslist today. I don't know what else I can do. I've had several offers from Saco area but we really can't make it that far. I'm striking out everywhere.

 

[casslarrabee225]

I went out early this morning. I was thinking the same, that maybe the cold would affect them. A lot of the eggs that I don't get to right away freeze and crack.

 

[veronicasmom]

How far can you travel? I belong to another board and I think someone on there had some ducks to rehome. I posted asking about it and will let you know if they are still available and whatever details I can get.

 

[bexnd]

I used to work in a hatchery and on a farm which produced fertile eggs all yr round. by the sounds of it your drake is doing the job altho with 2 to 1 you may want to make sure they arent stressing her because this can affect fertility. i think the thing about winter is to do with short days birds tend to lay when the days get longer, hence come into season. So on the farm i worked at obviously they used artificial lighting and special feed containg uvb. your fertility rates can vary at any time. our rates depended on the age of birds, age of eggs and breeds, but dont b dishearted by just 1 infertile egg. i used to go thro some trollies of eggs (granted we're talking thousands of eggs) but i'd take of 5-600 bad eggs and count average of 15 infertile on 3 trays of 120. so all u have to do is pick the wrong egg. also b4 putting the eggs in the incubator are u warming them to room temp. and best fertility is in eggs under 2 wks over 2 wks and you half your fertility rate. hope this helps a bit.

 

[veronicasmom]

That person has 9 ducks to rehome. Finding out the sexes hopefully. But she is in Presque Isle. If she meets you part way, is that doable for you?