How Many Ducklings Can A Single Duck Hatch?

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello! Today I went to a zoo near me, and I saw a duck that had more ducklings than I’ve ever seen a single mom have at one time! She had 19, and I’m pretty sure that she hatched all of them because they were all the same age, and she was the only female around!

 

[Miss Lydia]

When my 3 Muscovy females hatch ducklings each had 5 ducklings hatch and at around the 3 week mark 2 mamas said they were through and then my one mama took over and had 15 ducklings following her around.
And i saw on here where a single Muscovy hatched 19 ducklings. So either she adopted some or she hatched them all.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Wow! I didn’t think that they’d be able to sit on that many eggs at one time! One of my chickens has a hard time covering more than nine eggs at once LOL

 

[Miss Lydia]

I didn't either but I guess they can lol. My Muscoivy girls are not very large so I don't think one could hatch out 19-20 the most mine have hatched is 10.

 

[indianaducks]

My tiny mallard just hatched 9/11 of her eggs. I think that was probably the most she could really sit on because she's small. But a larger duck then should be able to have a bigger nest.

 

[Isadora]

Duck size is important but also how the nest is constructed. My runner hatched 9 babies last year. She was able to cover them and keep them all warm because she had the sides of the nest all built up.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah sometimes ducks don't always make the best decision on where to build their nests. My One Muscovy decided the chickens poop board was ideal. It was not.

 

[Isadora]

Yeah sometimes ducks don't always make the best decision on where to build their nests. My One Muscovy decided the chickens poop board was ideal. It was not.

Bless her heart

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nutty as a fruit cake they can be.

 

[Kimmyh51]

I have a mallard here right now who hatched 17 from her nest. And ive had others who adopted ducklings and raised in the early to mid 20s. This girl this spring (here in NZ it is spring) is the biggest number of live ducklings in one nest though. They are about one and a half weeks old now, and two mums as a broody muscovy duck (i only have 2 Muscovies and both are girls the first year here they hatched one hinny, but since then nothing but infertile nests, unsurprisingly) who was on a nest of infertile eggs decided she was going to abandon the nest shed been sotting on for close to two months, and become part of the raising of these 17 mallards.

Anyway i landed on this post after googling ot of curiosity to try to fibd out what the largest clutch of makkards or mallard type ducks gatched from one nest was. Sounds like 19 is the number for 'Strumpet' (my mother of 17, named for her terrible attitude towards me every spring lol) to beat.

Does anyone know if there is an official record for this?

Ive seen news artickes about a wild mallard in i think the UK with early 20s but the articke stated that the mum had adopted some ducklings to get to that number. I am looking for the largest number of live healthy naturally hatched ducklings by a mallard if anyone know?