Eggs not fertile

[Canadian Wind]

What am I doing wrong? Or rather, what are my Muscovy doing wrong??

Last year, all three of my hens sat, and none of the eggs were fertile. I got rid of the male and brought in 'fresh blood'.

I currently have three broodies, two of which have been sitting for over a week if not more, so today when they went to eat I candled the eggs. NONE ARE FERTILE!!! I've got several young healthy drakes, I've seen the hens being bred, why am I not getting fertilized eggs?? One of the hens that is sitting has even hatched out eggs before.

I'm getting frustrated and going broke. Feeding all of them for no return is becoming discouraging.

 

[ProudRedneck]

Following to learn

I read on another post where @New duck mommy 2021 said they don't incubate eggs under 70g. I know you are leaving the brooding to your hens but...I figured perhaps checking the weight of the eggs might be a good start to narrow down possible reasons and then try o figure out why the eggs aren't of viable size/weight if that's your findings.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Following to learn

I read on another post where @New duck mommy 2021 said they don't incubate eggs under 70g. I know you are leaving the brooding to your hens but...I figured perhaps checking the weight of the eggs might be a good start to narrow down possible reasons and then try o figure out why the eggs aren't of viable size/weight if that's your findings.

Eggs are nice and big and well formed. And they have indeed been sitting them, so it's not that.

About to crack one of the eggs to check for a bullseye... Nope, nothing.

ALL my drakes can't be infertile! Nor all my hens!

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Eggs are nice and big and well formed. And they have indeed been sitting them, so it's not that.

About to crack one of the eggs to check for a bullseye... Nope, nothing.

ALL my drakes can't be infertile! Nor all my hens!

I hatch a lot of chickens for a friend who raises chickens. In early spring, many of the eggs were infertile. The friend said it takes a little while for the hormones to get high and have their effect. Maybe it will just take a few more weeks. Aren't Muscovy natural found in more tropical climates anyway? So maybe your days aren't long enough yet?!

 

[Canadian Wind]

I hatch a lot of chickens for a friend who raises chickens. In early spring, many of the eggs were infertile. The friend said it takes a little while for the hormones to get high and have their effect. Maybe it will just take a few more weeks. Aren't Muscovy natural found in more tropical climates anyway? So maybe your days aren't long enough yet?!

So, I should 'break' the females and let them try again?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

So, I should 'break' the females and let them try again?

If your sure the eggs aren't fertile, yes.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

How old is the drake ?
How long since the girls started to lay eggs after winter ?

 

[indianaducks]

Mine take a bit of time after winter to really get into the swing of things. Maybe a few more weeks of drakes doing their job and check eggs again for bullseye? I know I have much fewer fertile eggs in the winter when I try to incubate eggs, compared to spring. That being said mine are all mallard derived, not moscovy. So I don't know if they are different in that regard at all?

 

[Canadian Wind]

How old is the drake ?
How long since the girls started to lay eggs after winter ?

Drakes are from last year. So I'd say probably between 7 months to 11 months?

Hens started laying a few weeks ago.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Mine take a bit of time after winter to really get into the swing of things. Maybe a few more weeks of drakes doing their job and check eggs again for bullseye? I know I have much fewer fertile eggs in the winter when I try to incubate eggs, compared to spring. That being said mine are all mallard derived, not moscovy. So I don't know if they are different in that regard at all?

Yeah, I think I'll do that. I've also had a really annoying Pekin mix drake who seems to prefer the Muscovy over his own kind and has been harassing the girls. He's currently in Drake Jail.