female not sitting?

[j-duck]

Weeza's 17 eggs. When do I know that she won't sit? Will the eggs go bad? If she does sit and hatch these eggs out, will Joe (drake) hurt ducklings?
Thanks!!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

It depends on Joe. Drakes are questionable, some are horrible and try to kill ducklings, some are sweet helper daddies. Hard to say until you see. You need to get that nest secured. You might be wise to do a dog crate. Moving that nest, whatever you do, don't allow those eggs to leave Mom's sight for even one second and Be Quick but not careless. You don't want to break her brood. I did it successfully once. So much better than allowing mom to sit in a Not-So-Great-Spot and then end up with problems later on due to a poorly-placed nest. That has also happened here, and I lost 2 ducklings that way Plus if you poke around on other threads, you see many tales of sitting ducks taken off nests and killed by predators. Very sad. There's no way to know when mom will decide she has the right # of eggs. I had one with 32 this summer and also one with 16. Mom knows when it's time.

 

[j-duck]

@miss Lydia and @HollyDuckFarmer, Weeza and her nest are moved into the lid of a dog crate and into the safety of their duck enclosure. I sure hope she doesn't abandon her nest now but I would be pretty upset with myself if I had not used the protection I have in place for Joe and Weeza.
Couple of questions:
The oldest egg is 17 days old. How do I know that any of the eggs are fertile and good? Is this when you 'candle them' and what is that exactly?

How long do eggs last if they aren't going to hatch? I'm not planning on this, but, could I go collect these eggs now and bake with them or consume them?

I feel pretty duck ignorant!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I would not consume the eggs. You won't start counting days on the eggs til mom starts sitting full time. I think Clint explained that mom starts to sit, then she lays the final egg, then the embryos start developing roughly together. They sync each other, I think he said. I think fertile eggs are viable after they've been laid for 30 days, but I don't know where I read or heard that.

 

[j-duck]

If she abandons the nest since I've moved it, would I be able to gatherthe eggs and put them in an incubator?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Yes, should be able to put the eggs into an incubator. Did she start sitting or no?

 

[j-duck]

This morning she ran out when I opened the door. Looked like she had at least messed with nest but didn't lay number 18 today. Few minutes ago she was voluntarily in the cage (door open) sitting on her nest.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Sweet

So today is Day 1

 

[j-duck]

Oh Ms Weeza - I guess yesterday wasn't Day 1. 18 eggs now.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I've had nests that looked just like that, I bet she will sit within the week.