non-fertile eggs?

[stillmecle]

My Blue Swedish started laying eggs about Sept. 9. She had around 20 eggs before I took the Drake and put him in another pen area. I started taking away the oldest eggs because she was only sitting on them occasionally. I left her with 11 eggs and marked them on both sides. She has been turning them but still g eggs so those she had after I took the Drake away I took those away from her. Well I candled them tonight, and if I did it right I don't think they are fertile. I did not see anything but a big blob in each egg. Should I see more than just a blob?

 

[stillmecle]

Should I take the eggs away and bring the Drake back over with the 2 females and try again? I would really like to have some babies. If I let the Drake back I know he will have one thing on his mind and it wont be sleeping alone if you know what I mean.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

You should see veining and movement when you candle. It does sound like those eggs are not fertile. If you put him back with her, be sure to give them time together before you start setting eggs again.

 

[stillmecle]

Should I throw all the eggs away ?

 

[sourland]

It depends upon how long she has been setting on the eggs full time. Depending upon the breed/egg color veining can be difficult to detect prior to 7 days with duck eggs. If these eggs were laid in a time period 2 weeks or more after the drake was removed there will be greatly diminished fertility. Two weeks after the removal of a drake or rooster fertility levels decrease.

 

[stillmecle]

Well its been since sept 9 for the oldest egg. Most of the eggs are all in that date area. So I guess I should throw all away

 

[sourland]

But you said you took away the oldest eggs starting with Sept. 9. If she has been setting on eggs since Sept. 9, any fertile eggs should be almost completely dark at this point. If not, yes throw away all of them. Laying and setting are two seperate things. Incubation starts at that point when she stays on the nest full time - leaving once or twice daily to eat and drink.

 

[stillmecle]

Sitting or laying what's the difference. She sits on them when I lock her in her house at night. during the day she goes in and turns them. she never stays on them during the day just at night
if I did the candling correctly, all there is is 1 small blob and the egg. no veins nothing else. That is why I asked If I should throw them away. I am a new ducl owner and that is why I asked questions. I don't mean to ruffle any buddies feathers. no pun intended. I just don't know a lot of things about raising baby ducks. when I was growing up we had all the fancy incubators because my dad owned a game preserve. but that was many years ago so now I want to try having a baby ducks, so any help at all would greatly be appreciated.

 

[sourland]

If she is not setting the eggs full time she has not gone broody yet, and the incubation process has not started. Since the drake has been removed for almost a month, she is no longer laying fertile eggs. Laying means quite literally that she is producing eggs. Setting means that she is covering/warming the eggs 24/7 thus starting the incubation process.