Eggs eggs eggs! She's alayin' !

[kaumlauf]

You have all been very helpful, so, once again, I am asking for some advice... We have two ducks, which we bought this past May as day old Blue Swedish/Pekin cross ducklings, and are more than likely brother and sister, and soon to be mother and father...She's been laying eggs for the past three weeks, and there are maybe 10 eggs in her nest. They mate often, too. So, are they more than likely fertilized? And if so, when the ducklings hatch, what should I do with all the offspring? Sell them? Will people buy ducklings in the winter? We are new to this. They have a big "stable" like room, with lots of bedding, but no heat. Should we supply some heat? We are in northern PA, and we get some very cold nights.
Any help appreciated...Thanks!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

plenty of bedding and good wind break so no direct winds/drafts blowing on them is a happy duck house. Most arent shopping for ducks in cold weather, you may or may not find buyers. Remember just because you have a male and female doesnt mean you cant collect eggs daily and eat them.

 

[kaumlauf]

Well, Thank you! They have a comfy pen, in the barn, with no drafts. so, what we may have is a lot of ducklings in a few weeks! I do like the eggs, as omelettes especially. Maybe I'll have to start eating more duck eggs. Christmas ducklings may be under someones tree this!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

If you like to bake or know someone who does the duck eggs are far better in baked goods than any chicken eggs.

 

[kaumlauf]

I love to bake, but it shows, so I don't bake nearly as much as I used to. I'll ask at my church if anyone likes to bake, and see if I get any takers. She has 20 eggs in her nest- will all 20 hatch, you think?

 

[Amiga]

If these are her first, and since winter is coming in, I would doubt all would make it. Hatching can be heartbreaking.

Also, if you want to give the eggs to folks for cooking, get them out from under her. They will be developing embryos. Do you have anything you can use for candling? It can be as simple as a good flashlight, from what I have read. It would be unpleasant for a partially incubated fertile egg to surprise a baker.

 

[kaumlauf]

Thank you for the heads up about hatching being heartbreaking. I am guessing this means only a few may make it. After this nest of eggs has run it's course, I'll be more diligent about removing the eggs on a daily basis, and storing them for eating. Some of these eggs have been there for 1-2 weeks, so I am not sure I want to start candling these, as I am sure some will have embryos forming. I heard that it's better to leave the eggs alone, so that the mother duck will continue to sit on them, but, I really need to educate myself on duck reproduction.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

You can candle she will still sit. A small high intensity flash light placed against the top (fat end) of the egg will allow you to see inside. DONT do it during the day or you wont see a thing. below is an egg freshly set, not yet developing.



Be sure you place an X on each egg as you candle them. This way you know when you have looked at all of them. Toss any eggs that are still clear like above, or that slosh when you look at them. It is very apparent when you find a bad egg.

Winter ducklings will be a challenge for keeping everyone safe and warm. Mom may or may not be a good mom, so you need to be ready, willing, and able to take the ducklings and brood them inside your home until they fully grow feathers to keep themselves warm.

Xing the eggs also allows you keep track of nests in the future. If you mark eggs you are letting her sit, you can then always remove the newest eggs and allow her to sit small numbers for future ducklings.

 

[Amiga]

You can candle she will still sit. A small high intensity flash light placed against the top (fat end) of the egg will allow you to see inside. DONT do it during the day or you wont see a thing. below is an egg freshly set, not yet developing.



Be sure you place an X on each egg as you candle them. This way you know when you have looked at all of them. Toss any eggs that are still clear like above, or that slosh when you look at them. It is very apparent when you find a bad egg.

Winter ducklings will be a challenge for keeping everyone safe and warm. Mom may or may not be a good mom, so you need to be ready, willing, and able to take the ducklings and brood them inside your home until they fully grow feathers to keep themselves warm.

Xing the eggs also allows you keep track of nests in the future. If you mark eggs you are letting her sit, you can then always remove the newest eggs and allow her to sit small numbers for future ducklings.

CelticOaksFarm, I appreciate this note. Now that we have Bean, the possibility of hatching is that much closer. I am in no hurry, but love learning more about the process. When Fünf went broody last summer I Xed four eggs and left them under her and took the fresher eggs. When a couple of them sloshed, those went to the compost and I added a couple more. Seems I do have it in the back of my mind to possibly have a hatch in the future, so it is nice to know I have a duck that might help out. And I have learned from the Duck Forum to have an incubator sanitized and in the ready in case the broody duck bails out on the project.

Right now, with so many abandoned ducks that could be adopted, I don't need to be hatching ducklings. Not to mention 21F mornings, and we're not even in winter yet. But someday the time may be right.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Glad to me of help Amiga. I need to compile all of my pictures and basics into one post again like I did with the when to help a hatch and when not to.