New to ducks laying

[SouthernPride]

I need advice. I have 6 domestics that I hatched last spring, 3 drakes and 3 females. The females are Pekin, Rouen and Black Swedish. The drakes are Rouen, Blue Swedish and Cayuga. I also have a female muscovy that was given to me last spring as a duckling. All 6 have been busy mating to the point that I get irritated with Drakes for their constant, well you know, mating. I've been seperating them from time to time, and pen them up at night separately. I have found 3 eggs so far in the coop in the morning. The females don't seem to be interested in making a nest and sitting on them, but the muscovy, who happened to be a surrogate to a Mallard duckling I had last summer has made herself a nest. I've collected the eggs and have them in the house. I would like to have them hatch but want it to be done by a duck. I'm not interested in doing the incubator this year. Question, what should I do with these eggs? Put them in the muscovy nest and hope that she sits on them? Make a nest myself and put the eggs in there and hope someone sits on them? Also, when the females were not available to the drakes, they then tried mating with the muscovy. Can that work? I always thought that they could not cross breed.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Amiga]

These early eggs I would put in the frij and eat. I am told that the earliest eggs seem to have more troubles. Someone can correct me on that if I misremember.

Glad you are separating the drakes. This time of year, it may need to be done a majority of the time. I always feel my first responsibility is to keep the ducks - the girls - safe.

Muscovies and mallard-types can produce offspring, but those offspring do not produce viable eggs that will mature and hatch into healthy ducks, from what I am told.

I would let a duck who wants to sit make her own decision, her own nest . . . and understand that from what I read here, she may not stick with it, may not be a good mother - we just don't know at first.

Also, think about what you will do if all or most of the ducklings are baby drakes. You may have it worked out, but sometimes folks don't think about that part till they have strife in the flock. So, just trying to help you avoid heartache.

 

[SouthernPride]

Thank you. I believe that 3 and 3 is not even a good ratio. I will definitely keep it in mind should I get more ducklings,

Anyone else have advice for me?