Do I have a secret drake?

[maddogdodge]

Wasn't sure whether to put this in the duck forum or in the 'What breed/gender is this' forum... please move it if it's in the wrong spot!

We have 3 ducks... an Indian Runner X... A Pekin X and a Khaki Campbell. A friend buys eggs from them for eating. Said friend recently said she's had a couple of eggs with half formed embryos in them.... Thinking about it, this could have happened while my family were away... but that would mean we have a drake!

Tomorrow i'm putting one of our eggs under a broody hen to see what happens, but first thought I'd get your thoughts.

I've seen the Indian Runner (light brown with ring on neck) mount the others a few times, I thought it was dominance...

This is all 3 of them this afternoon (Khaki Campbell, Pekin X, Indian Runner X)

And here is some good photos of the Indian Runner X

 

[chickens really]

Look like all Hens to me....What are you thinking is an embryo?...Pictures or more details please....

 

[Mylied]

You can get meat pieces and blood spots in infertile eggs. Crack one open and look for the bullseye of fertility. My Drake has a distinctly different voice from the girls and a curl on his tail.

 

[maddogdodge]

I don't have pictures or any more info, sorry... Just going off what our friend has said.

Said friend is quite experienced in poultry and I think would know the difference between a blood spot/meat chunk and an embryo... she said she could see the beak...

I agree they all look like female ducks... I will try looking for a bullseye but I am not the best at spotting that.

Will still try setting one under a hen and see what happens.

 

[chickens really]

In order for eggs to develop into Ducklings they need to be set...It takes 10 days before a heart beat is detected and veining seen from candling...Wow! How often do you collect eggs?...Was a Hen setting on a stash?....Also a Drake needs to be breeding them...

 

[maddogdodge]

In order for eggs to develop into Ducklings they need to be set...It takes 10 days before a heart beat is detected and veining seen from candling...Wow! How often do you collect eggs?...Was a Hen setting on a stash?

My family went away for a couple of weeks a while ago and the ducks had stashed some eggs.... That is the only possible situation I can think of. Normally we collect eggs daily.

 

[sourland]

None appear to be drakes. As @chickens really, has stated an egg must be incubated for many days before an noticeable embryo is evident.

 

[chickens really]

None appear to be drakes. As @chickens really, has stated an egg must be incubated for many days before an noticeable embryo is evident.

 

[chickens really]

My family went away for a couple of weeks a while ago and the ducks had stashed some eggs.... That is the only possible situation I can think of. Normally we collect eggs daily.

Why would you give them to be consumed?.....Only fresh eggs should be kept for human consumption ...

 

[maddogdodge]

Why would you give them to be consumed?.....Only fresh eggs should be kept for human consumption ...

Yep I agree and I only use fresh eggs for myself and others... My family however did not realise that so when my dad returned from holidays he collected the pile of duck eggs and used them as normal. Not a good thing, but I didn't know he had done that at the time.