Collecting eggs to incubate?

[fastrnrik]

Sorry if this is a dumb question.... My little boy and I are going to build a small incubator to try to hatch some babies. If we have fun with it, maybe we'll buy an incubator. There is tons of info on how to build the incubator, temp, humidity, etc, etc, but my question is regarding the eggs. Lets say our incubator holds 20 eggs, but we only find 3 or 4 eggs a day, and some days none until the next day. Since it could take a week or so to collect the amount of eggs needed, what do you do with the eggs you pick up until you get your full 20 eggs to put in the incubator? Will they hatch right since some are older than others? Also, our ducks lay eggs near the pond so I generally have no way of knowing who laid which egg. Will they all incubate the same amount of days regardless of species? Again, sorry if these are dumb questions, but I just want to get all the info I can before we get started. Thank You

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Just keep the eggs cool and turn them as though they were in the incubator. They should keep a week to 10 days. The fresher the better but in nature a broody hen does the same thing. She collects till she has enough and then starts incubating.
I think ducks are 28 days but some types are longer.

 

[fastrnrik]

That makes perfect sense. Thank you for the info!

 

[Frizzle13]

I tend yo label them with the date they were laid and just gradually build up they will be fine with a small age gap

 

[birdnbeast]

. Will they all incubate the same amount of days regardless of species? Again, sorry if these are dumb questions, but I just want to get all the info I can before we get started. Thank You

Considering all of the questions I had to ask, even with copious amounts of reading, to get comfortable and ready then I think you are doing fine -- with the 'dumb' questions =:~)

Collect the eggs, turn them gently every so often (I try 3 x day), keep cool but not cold, discard any that are not 'normal' for your girls.

If your duck breeds are not muscovy, but are still domestic breeds, then they are the same species (mallard type base) and would have the same basic incubation time (can vary a day or two depending on average temp) but I watch for the bantam breeds to come a day earlier.

Baby chicks are 'cute' but to set and hatch little duckies is really special!!!!
k/