female not sitting?

[Ekaufee17]

1. I have two female mallards that are laying. both are breeding with their mates on a regular basis, so im assuming the eggs should be fertilized. The one originally popped the eggs out where ever she felt like. i put them all together in a "nest" in the corner of her stall and she eventually began laying them in the same spot and burying them. This is my first laying year so i really have no idea what the process is. She doesnt seem to sit on them very often. I see her on them occasionally, but the majority of the time she is off with her mate in the duck yard. the oldest egg is about 10 days old. will they incubate or is it a lost cause since shes not sitting on them? the other female has since started laying and she has been depositing her eggs in the same spot but she doesnt seem to sit on them as well. i considered a home made incubator... not sure if that will be easy or not. im at a loss!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

The eggs might sit for up to a month before mom commits and decides to sit.

 

[Ekaufee17]

and the eggs will just start incubating after sitting for that long?

 

[Farmergreen]

My suggestion; Let her lay where she wants. in a few days the eggs will disappear " She moved them to the nest." Those that she buries she will dig them up and bury a few others. If the weather is hot you may never really know when she set until right before hatch. She is constanly moving these eggs around so they can "set Around for a long time." You may also notice her getting wet and then going and messing with the eggs. " Humidity" They need a pond or at least a pan large enough to set in.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

and the eggs will just start incubating after sitting for that long?

Yep. That is Mother Nature's Way of letting all the ducklings hatch together at the same time.

... Humidity"  They need a pond or at least a pan large enough to set in.

The Momma duck needs the water, not the eggs!

 

[Farmergreen]

Yes they breed better in the water . But when she gets her underside wet she will set on the eggs for awhile and raise the humidity around them. That's why you spray the eggs during incubation. It replaces the mother doing it Just saying a pond will improve your hatch rate

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Agreed!

 

[j-duck]

My white pekin seems to lay an egg a day. I have 5 so far. She lays them in a nest she carefully made in my flower bed. Once egg 5 got here (middle of the night), she buried her nest under pine straw. Two questions:
1. This morning I touched the pine straw but didn't touch the eggs. I thought something ad gotten her nest. Will this cause her to abandon her nest?
2. How long will it take for the eggs to hatch?

 

[j-duck]

My white pekin seems to lay an egg a day. I have 5 so far. She lays them in a nest she carefully made in my flower bed. Once egg 5 got here (middle of the night), she buried her nest under pine straw. Two questions:
1. This morning I touched the pine straw but didn't touch the eggs. I thought something ad gotten her nest. Will this cause her to abandon her nest?
2. How long will it take for the eggs to hatch?

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[Miss Lydia]

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Touching her eggs will not cause her to abandon her nest, but leaving her out in the open without protection from preds will likely get her killed. Once she starts sitting round the clock it will take 28-29 days for hatch to begin. But I believe I'd move nest, eggs and her to a safer place where she can be locked up for her safety. and