How long can I expect eggs to be fertilized after the males are gone?

[Laura p]

Here is a random question! So we processed our male ducks and male turkey not too long ago, but we just found our female turkey started another nest and I found a muscovy hen sitting on a clutch. How long after the males are gone can the eggs still be fertilized? I know the surest way to know would be to candle them...just curious if there's an answer or rule of thumb out there!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Here is a random question! So we processed our male ducks and male turkey not too long ago, but we just found our female turkey started another nest and I found a muscovy hen sitting on a clutch. How long after the males are gone can the eggs still be fertilized? I know the surest way to know would be to candle them...just curious if there's an answer or rule of thumb out there!

Best fertility up to 7 -10 days but often some fertility up to 14+ days. By 21 days usually not much if any...

You can't tell if an egg is fertile by candling, unless it's been incubated long enough for development. Then yes, that's the best way. Before incubation you can check fertility by cracking eggs open and looking at the blastodisk/blastoderm, but that would make them no longer viable for incubation.

 

[chickens really]

Ducks eggs lose fertility quicker than chicken eggs. Possibly 5 days if your lucky..