HELP Please New to Ducks and BYC Forum

[1234duck]

At first I started seeing an egg here and there (2 or 3) laying on the ground where the ducks are kept and we threw them away. Now the eggs are being laid in a nest, in the coop. But, I gathered up the duck eggs from the nest because at night its about 30/real cold. I have them in my house, under a light. They were very cold. I now have a total of 12 eggs but, I noticed that the last 3 eggs are a lighter color more whiteish. Today another whiteish color egg is in the nest. Now I think 2 ducks are using/laying eggs in the same nest. These are fairly young ducks. We have a Male and Female "Golden Cascade" and Male and Female "Rouen". I think that I messed up bad.. I should have left the eggs ALONE!??? WHAT SHOULD I DO? (Put them back in the nest)? What about the other New Eggs in the nest? Please help. Thanks, Julie

 

[flgardengirl]

Do you have an incubator?
Welcome to BYC!!!

 

[DuckyMom]

for starters I would start collecting the eggs. (you can eat them or hatch them in an incubator.)
It's not bad that 2 ducks use the same nest. (not common but not uncommon.)
If you dont plan on hatching them thats fine. just leave them to cool and do not eat them! (i assume you know that) If you do want to incubate them:
Start by sorting out your eggs. place all cracked eggs or those that were frigid in a box to cool for 3 days before disposing of them.
putting an "X" on one side of each egg and an "O" on the other. (to keep track of turning.)
You will need an incubator so that you can keep them humid. (99.5 degrees F and 55% humidity.)
You will need to start turning the eggs 4-5 times a day at consistant intervals. (end over end so that the opposite side faces up)
Candel the eggs to see if they are fertile at 8 days. there will be no harm in leaving infertile eggs in the incubator (especially for first time "candelers"), but if you want you can throw them out.
Here's a sight that I liked:
http://www.duckeggs.com/hatching-eggs.html
Good Luck.

Emily

 

[DuckyMom]

another thing to add! dont put the eggs back until the mother starts sitting on them. (at this point feel free to keep incubating or put them in with your broody.)

 

[dawnjoennikki98]

Duckymom, that's where I got my Ducks! As hatching eggs.

Duckeggs.com

 

[1234duck]

No, I don't have an incubator, yet. I did put an X and 0 on the eggs and have been turning them. When turning them, you mean 1 time the egg has the Fatter End Up(like in the egg carton when you buy eggs) then when you turn again, put the Narrower Part of the Egg Up. End over End..? Not Actually Rolling the Egg. Right? Do you think if eggs were back in nest the duck that started laying first, would start sitting on them since she might know she has already laid enough eggs in that nest? (I think we might be "done" on getting the pinkish/tannish color eggs from the first duck laying.) or would putting eggs back in nest mess it up for the duck laying the more whiter shade eggs? (which is the current eggs being laid in nest now). Do you think I should put only Some eggs in nest after she is done laying her clutch? Just enough so she thinks she laid a full clutch.

 

[1234duck]