Ducks sharing nest?

[Kmoreau]

I have a Pekin and a black Swedish hen. The black Swedish just started laying about 3 months ago, the Pekin has been laying for over a year. I also have one Pekin drake.
Well I haven't been collecting eggs as often as I did... And I guess my girls found a place they liked to nest at together, which made my collecting eggs much easier, but I was sick, husband was out of town... And working and while I was feeding the ducks 6 days ago I noticed a nice little nest all set up with 18 eggs!!!

Now I am noticing the girls not only sharing the nest, but they are taking turns sitting on it. The only time those eggs are not being sat on is during dinner. I tried to collect the eggs 2 days ago and both of the girls chased me away... They never seemed to care when i took their eggs before. I wasn't planning on having ducklings, but I didn't know that ducks would share in brooding.
So I might be expecting 18 Pekin, Pekin/Swedish babies.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

lock them into a pen and then you can safely raid the nest if you dont want duckling, arent set up to house possible 18 ducklings and dont have new homes for the possible 18 ducklings then time to raid the nest and toss the eggs.

 

[Kmoreau]

I could care for 18 ducklings and finding homes are no big deal I have a feed store that will take them no problem.
I can't lock them up because they are in my backyard and i have no pen for them. I'm sure i could hold them while my husband got the eggs but he will be out of town for at least another week.

Thanks for making me laugh though, raiding the nest made me think of me in a ninja outfit sneaking over to the nest.

 

[animalz11]

Try candeling the eggs, there is still a possibility of them not being fertile.

How many drakes and hens do you have?

 

[Kmoreau]

I have one drake and two hens... He loves both of his ladies equally if you know what I mean....
Almost all of the eggs I have collected have been fertile in the past.
Any tips on candling cause I have never done that before. Also, how do I candle if they won't let me near the nest. Now the drake is chasing me away too, and he is my favorite. He was my first duck and we are very attached. He does sometimes get nippy but now when I go near the nest he is doing full on assault on my ankles and toes leaving huge bruises.

I just don't know what to do. I an tell that me going near the nest is greatly upsetting them and I don't want to stress them out.

Is it normal for hens to share the same nest and brooding duties.?

 

[animalz11]

I have one drake and two hens... He loves both of his ladies equally if you know what I mean....
Almost all of the eggs I have collected have been fertile in the past.
Any tips on candling cause I have never done that before. Also, how do I candle if they won't let me near the nest. Now the drake is chasing me away too, and he is my favorite. He was my first duck and we are very attached. He does sometimes get nippy but now when I go near the nest he is doing full on assault on my ankles and toes leaving huge bruises.
I just don't know what to do. I an tell that me going near the nest is greatly upsetting them and I don't want to stress them out.
Is it normal for hens to share the same nest and brooding duties.?

First of all, go out and buy some good boots.
it's normale for them to share the same nest, my girls do it all the time.

Try finding a treat that they can't resist, if that doesn't work, throw a towel over them and safely move them from the nest, maybe another pen?
To candle the eggs, you use a bright torch (or an egg candler) and hold the light to the egg, doing your best to not let light out through ths sides of the egg, and if they are fertile (which they probably are) then you'd see little veins in the egg.