I feel like an idiot

[HeatherD42]

There shouldn't be a size problem with a Call duck hatching out eggs fertilized by a call duck. The duckling size will match the egg size

It's recommended not to use eggs from a duck in her very first season, but since yours are over a year old, you should be ok as far as egg size goes. Just wait until she's been laying a little while because the egg size will be larger and the fertility will be better. Dave Holderread says it's best not to incubate eggs at the very beginning or very end of the season for fertility

 

[HeatherD42]

Maybe for your situation it's better to use a broody if you can't moniter the incubator. A committed broody will do a better job of hatching out healthy ducklings since she will keep all the conditions right. You can always have an incubator on hand if she completely abandoned her duties

 

[junebuggena]

Collect eggs daily. Leave a few dummy eggs in the nest if you want to. It has not been my experience that eggs left in a nest induces brooding. Store the eggs fat end up, so that if she does go broody at some point in the future, you can slip a few eggs under her. Eat whatever eggs you want. Your little hen may never go broody at all.

 

[chickens really]

First off you need an understanding about Broody Call Hens. I destroy the nests daily as I collect eggs that way they never become Broody till I decide..Once weather is good I allow her to begin to collect eggs and set them.

 

[WVduckchick]

Broody ducks are a bit different than broody chickens. Ducks build up a nest over several days, and only sit on them long enough to keep them viable, and to build up as many as they want. Once they get the number they want, they will begin their commitment to sitting on them consistently.

I found a hidden duck egg nest. We were getting freezing temps too, and the nest was not in a good spot, so I took the eggs, put them in my incubator, and 99% of them started developing.

The other thing to remember, is that ducks will move their nests often. Mine lay somewhere different, every time I take eggs. Until I take them, they lay in the same spot. (yours could be different, but that's what mine do)

I would suggest collecting the early season eggs, bring them inside and mark them. Then when you want her to sit, collect each days egg(s) and replace with early-season egg(s). These newly collected ones will be the hatching eggs, but keep them safe inside. Do this each day (or every 2-3 days is fine), add back how ever many she added to the nest, swapping them out with the older eggs. Then when she starts sitting, you can swap the whole bunch of old eggs out with the hatching eggs you've been accumulating for her. My latest broody is on 17 eggs, contributed by 2 hens. Last one had 15 eggs (12 hatched).

 

[GldnValleyHens]

Broody ducks are a bit different than broody chickens. Ducks build up a nest over several days, and only sit on them long enough to keep them viable, and to build up as many as they want. Once they get the number they want, they will begin their commitment to sitting on them consistently.

I found a hidden duck egg nest. We were getting freezing temps too, and the nest was not in a good spot, so I took the eggs, put them in my incubator, and 99% of them started developing.

The other thing to remember, is that ducks will move their nests often. Mine lay somewhere different, every time I take eggs. Until I take them, they lay in the same spot. (yours could be different, but that's what mine do)

I would suggest collecting the early season eggs, bring them inside and mark them. Then when you want her to sit, collect each days egg(s) and replace with early-season egg(s). These newly collected ones will be the hatching eggs, but keep them safe inside. Do this each day (or every 2-3 days is fine), add back how ever many she added to the nest, swapping them out with the older eggs. Then when she starts sitting, you can swap the whole bunch of old eggs out with the hatching eggs you've been accumulating for her. My latest broody is on 17 eggs, contributed by 2 hens. Last one had 15 eggs (12 hatched).

Thanks WV! Great idea

 

[GldnValleyHens]

@WVduckchick, @shawluvsbirds, will my Daphne go broody after she has enough eggs in her clutch? Or not? What are the characteristics of a broody Call duck?

 

[shawluvsbirds]

@WVduckchick, @shawluvsbirds, will my Daphne go broody after she has enough eggs in her clutch? Or not? What are the characteristics of a broody Call duck?

When my Jane starts going broody she will start acting agitated when I am in their pen feeding and watering. She puffs up her feathers and huffs at me. . and squaks a lot.

 

[mikespipe]

you have received some great advise . I recomend enjoying the duck eggs you are getting now by eating them, they are great. and if you want to hatch some leave a few dummy eggs in the nest so they keep laying in the same place. them after a month or so and when the weather is nicer. collect the eggs and store in a clean dry place untill you have 10 or so, you can start letting the numbers build in the nest. if a duck starts looking broody remove the dummy eggs and replace them in the box , with the stored ones. Then let nature take its course. I have found that mothered eggs are more fun to observe. When they hatch , the mother does most of the work and lets me observe and enoy rather than fuss around.

 

[WVduckchick]

@WVduckchick, @shawluvsbirds, will my Daphne go broody after she has enough eggs in her clutch? Or not? What are the characteristics of a broody Call duck?

They are known for being very broody, but one never knows. I think leaving eggs tends to encourage them. I think you can tell when they are serious when they start spending more time each day on (or just near) the eggs. And they get mad when you take them! Lol