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Duck Laying/Hatching questions

Discussion in 'Ducks' started by blankchicken, Aug 30, 2014.

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  1. Aug 30, 2014 #1
    blankchicken

    blankchicken In the Brooder

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    Feb 21, 2014
    We have a welsh harlequin male and female pair. When she first started laying the eggs were all over the coop, not in any real order. Then she stopped laying for about a week, and started laying again. But this time she made a nest and has laid all the eggs in the same place. She arranges the eggs every day, but she's never sitting on them. Even at night when I come in to check on them. There are about 10 eggs now (10 eggs in 10 days) Yesterday when I went in the coop she had thrown some of them out of the nest and they weren't as uniform as normal.
    I decided to leave them and see if she ignored them. This morning when I went to open the coop, all the eggs were back in the nest and uniformed. There also doesn't seem to be a new egg today.
    Can any of the eggs hatch since she hasn't been sitting on them? Will she sit on them? Or should I just take them?

    This is the nest before
    [​IMG]

    This was the nest yesterday
    [​IMG]

    This is it this morning
    [​IMG]
     

  4. Aug 30, 2014 #2
    HumbleHen207

    HumbleHen207 Songster

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    Apr 16, 2013
    Maine
    Arranging nests is normal in laying birds even if they dont intend to set. My ducks make nest bowls and arrange eggs every morning but have never once decided to take an interest in setting. The eggs will not hatch unless she sits on them, they could certainly hatch if she decided to sit on them now but my guesses are she is not interested. I would just take the eggs.
     

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