My female just started laying eggs! I have some questions

[kimi706]

Hi all,

So my girl just started laying eggs. I found her first one in the pool on Oct. 22. Of course I just threw that one out and then went on a mini easter egg hunt around my backyard and found nothing else.

I only have 2 ducks - boy and girl - and even though I have a pen for them, they never go in it. They have free reign of the backyard 24/7. I live in Las Vegas, in an area that does not have predators and I have a small backyard.

Anyways, I was gone for a week and my partner didn't look for any other eggs. When I did come back this past Tuesday, I just kept looking in the pool and never saw another egg. Well, this morning I found behind a bush a little nest with 5 eggs. I do know it has always been a spot for her to just sit in but she isn't sitting there non stop.

I am not looking to hatch any eggs and I was going to give them to a friend because I just can't eat them. lol

So here are some questions. - Oh she is 24 weeks old tomorrow.

1. These could have been sitting there for a week and a half. Would they be alright to eat or would the ducklings already be starting to develop?
2. Shouldn't she be sitting on them all the time?
3. Should I just toss these and start watching every day for new ones?
4. How do I candle them?

I know I have other questions but can't think of them right now. Is there a duck book I can read or a website I can read to get a better knowledge? These are my first two ducks so I am a newbie. I want to make sure I do everything right for them!

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[faykokoWV]

If she isn't sitting on the regular a duckling would not develop

If they've been sitting there for a few days - they may be ok - but I usually either feed those to the dogs, or cook them and feed them back to the birds for extra protein

She will only sit on them full time when she is ready to hatch some - if you're on here much you will see the term Broody, and that refers to a bird that wants to "brood' her own duckling. When she's ready for that she will sit on them

If you want to candle, take a small flashlight ( I use a mini mag lite) make the room as dark as you can ( I do it at night with the lights off

) Hold the candle up to the egg - in the early stages all you can see is a blob with a web of veins

 

[LissyB]

Congrats on the new eggs!

I personally wouldn't eat them, just because I wouldn't know how long they were out! I read somewhere though, that as long as she doesn't go broody... no babies. So i guess you have personal preference too! Also if you have seen your ducks mating they might be fertilized.