Got me some pekins, now an egg question

[porkchop48]

I now have 2 males and 2 females pekins.

They have a large pond, coop, etc. I did not have plans to collect the duck eggs I was thinking more along the lines of letting them sit on them and raise them... Do I have to wait for one of the females to go broody to do this? or if I leave the eggs will they naturally sit on them..

Wow that sounded really odd when I typed it. Sounded much better in my head.

And how long do they take to hatch.

 

[Amiga]

I am told that the first several eggs may not do well for hatching, but sometimes there are sursprises. Broodiness is partly an indiividual trait for many breeds. Some do, some don't.


Three of my runners went broody the summer after they began laying in the late spring.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Duck eggs take 28 days to hatch, I am currently waiting for the eggs in my incubator to hatch.

 

[porkchop48]

Quote:
Both the female have been laying for a few months now. So I am trying to figure out if I should get an incubator or just let nature take its course and see what happens.

I would hate for the eggs to go to waste.

 

[sonew123]

collect your eggs everyday-If they want to be broody they would make a hidden nest of some sort and not get off of it...if she stays on the nest tightly for a few days then you have a broody. If not-your going to get some rotten eggs from letting them sit for a while hoping for a broody

 

[porkchop48]

Quote:
Thank you... Looks like that will be what I am doing.

 

[becky3086]

That never has been my experience. My ducks will not go broody unless I leave the eggs. They wait until there is a whole nest full and then one of them will finally set on them. Frankly though, I have never had any luck (well one year I got one duckling) from letting the ducks hatch their own.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

My rouen female just started laying and im hopeing she will go broody, I have a rouen male so im hopeing for some rouen babies

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Yes, a hidden nest full off eggs

 

[Kmoreau]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet... But pekins are known to be great layers, but bad mothers. Mine hasn't started laying yet (but we are not sure if she is 100% Pekin anyway), so I can't tell you my experience, but on meters website his puts their ability to hatch as poor, and other byc'ers have all mentioned that pekin eggs will most likely need to be incubated, due to the mothers not going broody. Then again each duck will have their own traits and not all will fit the breed standard. So good luck