Do they have to mate everyday to lay a fertile egg a day?

[ksj0225]

Do they have to mate everyday to lay a fertile egg a day? I have two females that I have seperated "on purpose" from the group. One is broody and I'm sure that most of her eggs are fertile. The other I'm not sure, and she is still laying so how long will her "last" mating last = equal fertile eggs?

I guess I "could" let my mallard drake out, but he doesn't "mate" my female scovies well anyway...

Or should I just mark what she has laid and start taking the new ones for the egg basket?

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

I don't have a duck specific response. Chickens eggs become fertile 2 days after they mate with a roo and can stay laying fertile eggs for up to 3 weeks without another visit from the roo. I would imagine that ducks have some variation on that pattern. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable happens by...

 

[duckyfromoz]

A duck "can" continue to lay fertile eggs after being removed from a drake- but it would differ greatly between birds and conditions of each example. She may have stopped laying fertile eggs a day or two after the separation- or they may continue to be fertile for a week or two or in some cases even longer.

 

[ksj0225]

Really possibly up to 3 weeks!!! That's awesome I had to seperate them because one of the girls gets picked on by EVERYONE, even the girls... And the two that are drake-less have their nest in spots that are REALLY hard to get to so it's hard to take the eggs.

 

[duckyfromoz]

It has been known to happen- but dont count your ducklings before they hatch so to speak.. As I said- each case can be different.