Muscovy

[hacharlton]

When will my Muscovy ducks start laying? I have 2 female, one male.

 

[gmendoza]

Soon Im waiting too.Maybe in March?? I think they started then.I have a drake and two hens:

 

[Captain Carrot]

Mine haven't started laying again either. They're going into their 2nd laying year.

I'm hoping that once the weather warms up a bit, they'll start laying.

 

[Bleenie]

Mine started laying about a week & a half ago. one is brooding now but a couple others are still laying. We just got more snow again

 

[gmendoza]

Quote:
Lucky stiff.

 

[hacharlton]

Thanks for the replies. Hope they start soon. My son wants some baby ducks! How many eggs will my females lay before sitting on them? Will she sit on them and then add some each day? I think that would really stagger the hatching. How long is the incubation period for the eggs? Yes, I have plenty of questions!

 

[Captain Carrot]

she'll lay anything between 6 and 20 plus before the laying stops and then she'll sit. Muscovy eggs need between 28 and 33 days. Can't say for sure.

Eat the first eggs layed, the fertility isn't great at first. Collect eggs for incubation a week or two after laying begins. Or just stop collecting them, one of the ducks will sit on them.
The eggs will need to be turned so mark them with a pencil, one side a circle and the other a cross until they#re given to a duck. She'll turn them herself then.

A week after incubation starts you can candle the eggs. This means to hold a strong light up to the eggs. This way you can check for fertile eggs, you'll be able to see veins within the egg if they're fertile.

Keep the duck and the ducklings away from the other ducks for the first few weeks. The ducks make great mothers but other ducks can easily step on and crush the ducklings.

Good luck

 

[Bleenie]

The incubation period for Musocvy eggs is 35 days, but sometimes they take a little bit to hatch after they pip. I have some eggs in the incubator right now, from someone else's Muscovies. I have to candle them again tonight but so far only 5 of them gave up on me.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mine don't start to lay till late March into April and quit laying Sept..

 

[hacharlton]

Quote:
Where do you keep them if before letting her sit on them...What temp?