Hens go broody when you don’t want them to… and won’t go broody when you do. 
- Dec 4, 2013
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Hi,
I am a "new" duck owner. We got 3 indian runners and 2 pekins over the past year. 2 female indians 1 male and 1 male and 1 female pekin.
My female pekin was born with a gimp leg. She is several years old (not sure how old) so I don't know if she can even lay eggs or not.
My two indian runners are a few years old. The last week or so we have noticed an egg a day in their coop. I am assuming it belongs to the indian runners because the lady who gave them to us said they laid last year and even hatched out a few babies.
We have a large pond that I plan to let them out on once it's not frozen, but for now they are in a big aviary outside. We provided two different hutches for them that we fill with straw. That's where the eggs have been found, but every time we find them they are cold and not being sat on.
I have a few questions:
1. Do they need to be sat on constantly to hatch?
2. If so, how can I entice my ducks to do this? Or do I need to incubate?
3. If I need to incubate then how quickly do I need to get the egg into the incubator post laying as I have not actually SEEN them lay yet.
4. How long until I can candle the egg to see if it is fertile?
5. How long until they hatch?
6. Any recommendations on incubators if that's the route I should be taking? I also have chickens but no rooster YET so eventually I may want to hatch them out too...would be great if I could incubate both together potentially...????
Sorry for the "newbie" questions...just looking to get some info. Thanks in advance!
I am a "new" duck owner. We got 3 indian runners and 2 pekins over the past year. 2 female indians 1 male and 1 male and 1 female pekin.
My female pekin was born with a gimp leg. She is several years old (not sure how old) so I don't know if she can even lay eggs or not.
My two indian runners are a few years old. The last week or so we have noticed an egg a day in their coop. I am assuming it belongs to the indian runners because the lady who gave them to us said they laid last year and even hatched out a few babies.
We have a large pond that I plan to let them out on once it's not frozen, but for now they are in a big aviary outside. We provided two different hutches for them that we fill with straw. That's where the eggs have been found, but every time we find them they are cold and not being sat on.
I have a few questions:
1. Do they need to be sat on constantly to hatch?
2. If so, how can I entice my ducks to do this? Or do I need to incubate?
3. If I need to incubate then how quickly do I need to get the egg into the incubator post laying as I have not actually SEEN them lay yet.
4. How long until I can candle the egg to see if it is fertile?
5. How long until they hatch?
6. Any recommendations on incubators if that's the route I should be taking? I also have chickens but no rooster YET so eventually I may want to hatch them out too...would be great if I could incubate both together potentially...????
Sorry for the "newbie" questions...just looking to get some info. Thanks in advance!
