Duck eggs

[chickbrad24]

Hello and Good Morning,

So I have about 12 ducks I currently have 3 broody ducks. One soon to hatch out eggs. But my other female ducks have been laying eggs and most times I can not get to them due to the fact I am unaware where they are laying.

To make a long story short I've been finding eggs with no known broody duck laying on them. There are just random eggs scattered around. But latley I have been finding day old ducklings dead. It looks like they have just hatched out with no broody duck sitting on them.

I'm curious its been so hot and humid out could it possibly be that they are developing without a broody duck and hatching ?

I try to pick up as many eggs as I can find but yesterday was the 3rd 1 day old duckling that I found and there is no broody duck in that area. Can duck eggs develop and hatch if the outdoor conditions are right ?

 

[poultrymama]

Hm that's a good question. I live in nebraska where our July is frequently 100+ and humidity is between 60 and 80%. I would love to know this answer as well. I don't see why it couldn't happen.

 

[chickbrad24]

It is very weird!! I had 2 ducks hatch out eggs earlier in the summer one had 3 babies 2 disappeared I thought 2 of the dead ducklings were hers. But I think they would have showed some decay because it's been a month since they hatched. But when I found the 2 dead ducklings they look like they had just passed.

Now yesterday I found another dead duckling that just hatched and it was not there when I found the other 2.

That's why I'm curious if these eggs are hatching themselves from the heat and humidity from just being outside outside.

Also were I am looking there is no broody duck hiding and no broody duck has been under this thick pricker bush at all this year.

 

[poultrymama]

Mmm maybe no one has any experience with this. It is kind of strange lol. I have heard quail eggs are easy enough to throw in the yard and they'll hatch. But I haven't tried it lol

 

[BaileyMChicks]

I think if it's warm enough and humid enough they could very well be hatching on their own. I've never tried it myself(I only have chickens, and it doesn't get warm enough here, even in the summer), but I have thought about whether or not it could be done. And if the humidity was right and the temp was warm enough, I think it is completely possible.