How many duck eggs did you get today?

[Tookie]

1 again!

 

[Canadian Wind]

One in the yard, but I suspect my escape artist went and laid one somewhere outside the pen.

 

[LydiaB]

6 so far. Usually get 2 at night though.

 

[Strawberry74]

Ok all, I think against my better judgment the 9 call duck eggs are likely going in the incubator. I lost one of my favorite home hatched all blue call duck named Squeaks, which is rare, to an unlikely owl attack who got in my pen somehow. I only found her head I think some of the eggs were hers and want her to live on.

Question: I am assuming it's a wives tale, but does refrigerating them affect the number of females to males? If it is worth a try, how long do I refrigerate the eggs before setting them?

 

[Canadian Wind]

Only thing refrigerating the eggs will do is lower hatch rates / development.

Unlike lizards, bird eggs' gender cannot be influenced by temperature. The gender is set at fertilization.

Good luck with the hatch!

 

[Strawberry74]

Only thing refrigerating the eggs will do is lower hatch rates / development.

Unlike lizards, bird eggs' gender cannot be influenced by temperature. The gender is set at fertilization.

Good luck with the hatch!

Thank you. I didn't think so. I am trying to talk to myself out of setting the eggs....

 

[Canadian Wind]

Thank you. I didn't think so. I am trying to talk to myself out of setting the eggs....

Tell yourself this: Ducks. Inside. All Winter Long!

 

[Strawberry74]

Tell yourself this: Ducks. Inside. All Winter Long!

Lol! I have a coop outside that I can heat so that isn't a huge deterant. What else you got

 

[Canadian Wind]

Sorry, that's all I got! I'm a hatching addict but draw the line at months of them inside!

That may all change once my own Calls start laying though

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Ok all, I think against my better judgment the 9 call duck eggs are likely going in the incubator. I lost one of my favorite home hatched all blue call duck named Squeaks, which is rare, to an unlikely owl attack who got in my pen somehow. I only found her head I think some of the eggs were hers and want her to live on.

Question: I am assuming it's a wives tale, but does refrigerating them affect the number of females to males? If it is worth a try, how long do I refrigerate the eggs before setting them?

I am sorry for your loss!

Question: I am assuming it's a wives tale, but does refrigerating them affect the number of females to males? If it is worth a try, how long do I refrigerate the eggs before setting them?

Bird eggs already have the gender set at fertilization and it cannot be changed by temperature, however female embryos are able to handle colder temperatures than male embryos. That means if you set your incubator at a colder temperature, you freeze the males and they die. That is why colder temperatures during incubation result in more female chicks hatching. Their gender does not get changed, the males are just susceptible to dying.