fertile duck eggs?

[jonhlawless18]

Once a duck has been bred how long will it lay fertile eggs i know chickens lay for 14 days after being bred it is the same for ducks? Thanks

 

[Kevin565]

It varies from individual to individual. Some ducks will store sperm for around 2 weeks while others have been noted to store it for close to 4 weeks.

 

[jonhlawless18]

Ok thanks how old does it take for a drake to become fertile

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I'm not sure how long, or if it works the same for all breeds of ducks, but a few years ago I had a pair of wild mallards. The male was killed and I stopped gathering eggs after about two weeks or so. I thought she had quit laying. It turns out the hen laid 21 eggs after that in an old thicket behind the house and was sitting when I finally found her. I know the earliest egg she could have laid there was at least two weeks old because she was the only mallard hen on the place at the time and I know I gathered her single egg for at least that long after the male died. (to eat, not hatch).

Anyway... she hatched out two. I busted the rest of the eggs and at least five more were partially developed, so I know she was fertile for close to a month after the male died.

I hope that helps.

 

[jonhlawless18]

yes thanks so much. i just got a blue ancona hen and she is laying and she was with a male blue ancona and just wanted to know how many eggs i can collect and incubate. i dont know if they like to go broody. does anyone know if anconas go broody. should i let her build her own clutch and sit or collect the eggs

 

[ChristineR]

yes thanks so much. i just got a blue ancona hen and she is laying and she was with a male blue ancona and just wanted to know how many eggs i can collect and incubate. i dont know if they like to go broody. does anyone know if anconas go broody. should i let her build her own clutch and sit or collect the eggs

They might, but you can't count on it. If you really want ducklings, I would recommend incubating them yourself.

 

[jonhlawless18]

Ok how many eggs should i collect before incubating them and she is in with my pekin drake who is not mature yet and he has never seen and egg before should i be worried about him harming the eggs out of curiosity
Thanks

Here she is we love her and cant wait to see her babies

 

[Kevin565]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the drake messing with eggs. Mine always just ignore them.

 

[jonhlawless18]

ok thanks so much for all your help i am new to ducks i rescued a little peking a few months ago from a horrible situation... and am just confused about a couple things

thanks for the help!

 

[Kevin565]

It's no problem at all. We all look out for each other in the duck section!