Mallard question.

[stoneeater]

We have 3 mallards (1 male, 2 females) running around the neighborhood. They are semi owned by my one neighbor who feeds them but live completely outside roaming between 4 ponds/ properties. I actually find them sleeping in my pond quite often. This morning I found an egg sitting right at the waterline of my pond. Are these eggs she drops all over the area not viable for hatching? Are mallards just not very broody? At least this egg has a hard shell. The ones from the last couple years were jelly eggs with a soft shell. Can I cook it up and give to my dog? Ultimate goal would be to place under one of my chickens when they get old enough to be broody. If the mallard doesn't want to hatch a viable egg, maybe one of my chickens will.

 

[poultrycrazy]

I is most likely broody if the drake has been with them. But you would want one of your chickens to go broody in the next 7 days cuz that is when they start to become infertile is 7 days after they are layed if they arnt incubated by then

 

[mandelyn]

3 of my ducklings came from abandoned "shore" eggs. The little mallard is MEAN and spunky, came from a smaller green egg. The other 2 are pretty nice and calm, they're from a Pekin mom and a Domestic Mallard dad. But they don't store for more than 7-10 days.

With broody hens, you want to make sure she's good and broody and not on a half-hearted attempt. I have a bunch of non-setters, so I plugged in the incubator.

 

[stoneeater]

Yeah it will be awhile for a broody chicken. My oldest bantams are only 10 weeks old max. and my Australorp is only about 6 weeks old. I was reading the one thread about using chickens to hatch eggs instead of an incubator so I understand what you mean about making sure she's broody first before giving her an egg to hatch. Looks like my dog will get a treat later today though.