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.
now I know I don’t have to have one and they can stay with the mother that Is better for all.
learning more and making sure that your taking good care of the animals you have right now
