I have a few questions - anyone fancy a challenge? :)

[GracieJ]

Hello Okay so I've looked through various different threads but couldn't find any specific answers that satisfied my questions on Call ducks. I have a drake, Jem and a hen, Myrtle, and she has laid and is 10 days into sitting on her first clutch. I'd be ever so grateful if someone on here could wisely tell me;

1). Can you eat a duck's eggs even if it is fertile?
2). How often does a female duck/hen lay eggs after sitting on her last clutch? Is it straight away? Two weeks later?
3). My hard-working hen took a rest from sitting on her clutch today and I found one poor egg cracked and open on the floor not far from the nest, is it possible she either rolled it out whilst getting out of the nest or did she kick it out? I checked it and it wasn't viable anyway (at least I don't think so).
4). Do I need to buy a brooder or can I use a plastic storage box?
5). Do ducklings need a heat lamp if they are indoors? Or would they be okay if they had one side of their brooder next to a radiator (that was the right temperature of course) and the other side to get away from it?
6). Is it safe after this clutch to take the eggs she lays every day? Or will she keep laying till she has another clutch?
7). Candling - does a clear yellow egg at day 10 mean it is not viable (I think I know the answer to this but I don't want to admit it)? Also, a couple of eggs have one side an orangey colour and the other side like a black cloud/shadow with an air sac, are these viable? I can see all the egg sacs clearly which is absolutely fascinating!
8) Two eggs have cracks in them but no fluid leaking, is this okay?

Thank you in advance for answering my questions. I am so hoping to extend my duck family so fingers crossed we have some little ducklings by mid-March. I've tried candling them today for the first time and despite looking at pictures, I still don't know what I'm looking at ha! I've spent quite a lot of time on here tonight scrolling through different threads but there's thousands of discussions :O I absolutely love this website and everyone on it!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I don't know about ducks much, but I can say you can eat a fertile eg.

 

[sylviethecochin]

1). Can you eat a duck's eggs even if it is fertile?
Definitely. Otherwise, we would not have roosters.

2). How often does a female duck/hen lay eggs after sitting on her last clutch? Is it straight away? Two weeks later?
That depends on body condition and how distracted she is by the ducklings. Mine usually start laying again within a month, but it usually takes longer than two weeks

3). My hard-working hen took a rest from sitting on her clutch today and I found one poor egg cracked and open on the floor not far from the nest, is it possible she either rolled it out whilst getting out of the nest or did she kick it out? I checked it and it wasn't viable anyway (at least I don't think so).
People will tell you that birds can find the bad egg and will get rid of it. In my experience, this is simply not true. She probably accidentally rolled it out.

4). Do I need to buy a brooder or can I use a plastic storage box?
Do you plan on separating them from mum? Then you need a brooder of some sort. A plastic storage bin will work well, and is far easier to clean than the cardboard boxes I may or may not be guilty of using.

5). Do ducklings need a heat lamp if they are indoors? Or would they be okay if they had one side of their brooder next to a radiator (that was the right temperature of course) and the other side to get away from it?
I wouldn't put plastic that near a radiator. You can use a heatlamp, and I would recommend buying one, to put up if you do start having problems. Ducklings don't need as much heat as chicks. I have raised ducklings outside in a chicken-wire run when it was in the mid-seventies outside, with no supplemental heat whatsoever during the day.

6). Is it safe after this clutch to take the eggs she lays every day? Or will she keep laying till she has another clutch?
Depends on duck and breed of duck. Generally, they take a lot of time to recover first. Muscovies will start gathering again almost immediately; mallards set twice a year.

7). Candling - does a clear yellow egg at day 10 mean it is not viable (I think I know the answer to this but I don't want to admit it)? Also, a couple of eggs have one side an orangey colour and the other side like a black cloud/shadow with an air sac, are these viable? I can see all the egg sacs clearly which is absolutely fascinating!
Check this out. It's for chicken eggs, but it's highly informative. And yes, clear eggs have not developed. You can eat them, if they don't float in water.

8) Two eggs have cracks in them but no fluid leaking, is this okay?
Wipe the cracks with a mild alcohol solution and tape the cracks (not the entire egg, just the cracks). It's an entry point for bacteria, and I doubt those ones will make it. Hope springs eternal, of course.

 

[chickens really]

Why take them from her?..It's very stressful to Momma and Babies to separate them before she weans them...

 

[Duck Lover88]

Why take them from her?..It's very stressful to Momma and Babies to separate them before she weans them...

X2 if your going/have to take them then do it right now and just incubate them all.

 

[casportpony]

I remove ducklings from almost all of my broodies. They will need a brooder that's 90 degrees the first week, then reduce 5 degrees each week. A heatlamp will work, but make sure it's a non-coated bulb safe for use around poultry. You can also make a heat source using a heating pad - @aart and @Blooie have some excellent info on how to do this.

 

[casportpony]

@Ravynscroft , @WVduckchick , and @Pyxis are my go to people when it comes to incubation, especially when it comes to Call ducks.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Following as I know nothing on the subject past question #1.

 

[chickens really]

Following as I know nothing on the subject past question #1.

Yes...Just collect the eggs daily..

 

[GracieJ]

Why take them from her?..It's very stressful to Momma and Babies to separate them before she weans them...

You’ll have to be kind to me as I have never had ducks before and from prior reading on the Internet I thought it was standard protocol to put the ducklings in a brooder and take them indoors for 3-4weeks. Obviously I’ve misunderstood the information or missed out a key part. That is why I have been asking about a brooder and why I asked these questions now I know I don’t have to have one and they can stay with the mother that Is better for all.