Duck sitting a little....

[GrahamOh]

Hi,

I' have two males and a female (I think the breed is peking... its white anyways).

She's been laying eggs for about 3 weeks now. She sits on them only in the morning and off she rambles after about 13h. She never sits on them in the pm... (except for this pm, she sat for about an hour between 14-15h). There are about 15 eggs in the nest.

Now I would like to know if I can eat those eggs or should I be leaving them there in the nest so she'll roost/hatch them.

I met the farmer/breeder that sold me at the market yesterday (I'm in Normandy France BTW) that if she's not sitting on them all day then to go ahead and eat them. There will only be ducklings if she's sitting on them ALL day long (except to get up to drink/eat etc).

Now my neighbour, to whom I explained the situation, told me she's sitting on them to moisten them and when they're all laid, she'll sit on them full time. If thats the case, I shouldn't be taking the eggs, just leave them there.

Either way, based on the farmers remarks to me yesterday, I've candle tested 5 eggs, put 4 in the fridge and eaten one. Yum.

Now, am I potentially eating future baby ducklings? In which case I need to leave her nest alone?

Or am I right to continue taking them until she starts sitting full time on nest (I'll candle test all eggs I remove).

Anyways, thanks for your tips and advice.

G

 

[GrahamOh]

Anybody out there gonna help me?

 

[Going Quackers]

AT first they don't sit -all the time- as they accumulate what they deem as "nest worthy" then they will become more serious.. average egg laying is one a day or one every other so as you can see that can take time, if you want babies leaving the eggs will be the only way to see if a duck will be interested in sitting.

As time moves on they sit longer, come off less.. i have 5 nests going right now.(4 are Muscovy but one has chicken eggs lol and the other is a call duck) i will see the ladies out at some point each day but as each nest progresses it's less and less..

Candling them is good, some are duds and not worth the mamas time, many ducks will toss eggs that are not viable, they have a sixth sense about this stuff.

If they are Pekin, they are not known for being broody generally speaking, that said some here have successfully had a clutch. So if you want to gain babies, you will have to let things be, if she feels the nest is being threatened she may abandon it entirely, as well some ducks just are not broody, their is usually this behaviour they get fluffy, chirpy and can be quite crabby even my little call lol

Hope that helps?