Practise eggs?

[Kleonaptra]

Howdy all,

Very exciting day for me, I got my very first eggs today!

I was hoping they are from my australorp - she's just getting to the right age. My other chicken is only young so it cant be her.

I dont think its my big girls, (a pekin and two cross breeds) as the eggs are so tiny.

So it must be Piper (her and the drake are my posting pic) I have wanted pure bred pacific blacks for YEARS and always theres problems, the drake is 6 and Piper is almost a year. Ive candled them and I cant see any blood vessels - she has been acting broody and making nests for the last month but Im not sure if the drake has even bred her. They definitely look like Pacific Black eggs


As you can see she has not set them properly and is not sitting on them. Usually Pacific Blacks are very fussy, they make a small neat nest and lay the eggs in a little circle. They are also great mums and barely leave their nest.

So, is it possible these are practise eggs? Before I got the drake I had two Pacific Black females and one used to lay every now and then, the other one never did. They arent known to 'waste' eggs.

Im too scared to steal them for the kitchen as Im sure they are hers and even if she's not sitting on them I couldnt bear to eat them, Ive wanted babies for so long! They all go to bed in a big shed, its possible the big girls scared her off the nest. I have to build a 'Piper room' that only she can fit into so she feels safe.

Meanwhile my 3 big girls (see them on my profile page) are begging to be bred and the drake wont touch them!

 

[Amiga]

Goodness, your ducks are really stringing you along!

I know that with the runners, they sometimes make a nest, sometimes don't, Fünf is the only duck that got really broody this year, but sometimes a couple of others get broody.

We just got a drake a month ago and he has been adjusting to the new environment, and it is autumn here, so no mating activity is going on, none that I have noticed, anyway.

I suppose you could try putting them in an incubator. I hope more experienced folks check in.

 

[Kleonaptra]

She has four eggs now, Im certain they are hers. Candled them today and saw nothing but Im not giving up yet. I have a partition ready I just have to put it in, so she can have a private space. Shes not afraid of the big girls (they are easily twice her size and have run right over her!) but she is wary.

Piper is the only one the drake is interested in! Its spring here, the 3 big girls have a lesbian affair a few times a day in the pond, the drake wont go in with them! I was so excited to see mating behaviour only to realize its all the girls. My drake actively chases Piper but I havnt seen them breed. Of course I dont know what goes on in the shed at night.

 

[LissyB]

Congrats on the new eggs! My Khaki Campbell didn't set hers correctly either, but she laid a clutch of 18 and sat on them! I have never heard of this breed but they sound like good mothers from what you said, I don't really know that much about this stuff. I'm trying to get babies to! My ducks were killed a month ago and I got the rest of the 18 eggs that weren't eaten during the affair, so... I'm looking for info too! Good luck hope you get some little ducks, if you do... PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kleonaptra]

Five eggs now! She's put them all together in a corner.

Very frustrating...Just filled the pond, all my big girls VERY ready for mating...Meanwhile my drake waits patiently for them to finish before he gets in for a swim! *sigh*

 

[DirtyAnkleDucks]

Congrats on the eggs!! The only real way to find out if their fertile is to crack one open and see if you see the "white ring/doughnut" on the yolk. Is it currently mating season for ducks where your located?? Our will mate daily sometimes multiple times in a day during mating season, but out of season you hardly see them mate.

 

[Kleonaptra]

Its spring, so yes, its mating season. The pacific blacks dont mind breeding in cooler weather so Im surprised to see them so into it in the heat. I put up a special partition across 'Her' part of the shed with a tiny Piper sized door. She's been sitting in there all morning with the drake gaurding the door....All great signs. I havnt seen her sit on the eggs but it is very hot here.

Im going to let her go and candle them a few times a week. I dont want to take them away as I know it can scare pacifics from laying again, so I'll give her a chance to do her 'Mum' bit before I consider removing them. I'm keeping my fingers crossed theyre fertile....Ten years Ive waited for purebreds!

Meanwhile, can anyone help my poor drake? My big girls - easily twice the size of him - beg to be bred to the point of throwing themselves on the ground in front of him, and he WONT!

 

[LissyB]

Quote:
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe it's the fact that they are twice the size of him? They throw themselves on the ground? Maybe he enjoys their pain... and will get over himself!