Runner ducks on nests, should I cull the eggs....

[AnniesEggFarm]

I have two runner ducks on a shared nest (quite cute

) , They started setting right about the same time we introduced a drake into the group, about a week and a half ago... We candled on Sunday and they looked like duds... I cracked one open and it was fertile probably about 24 hours 36 hours gestation... So we stopped and left them. I candled again this morning 48 hours later, still it looks like no change, no veins, just really big yolks. I don't want to open another one... I would just expect to see some veining by now!!!!

If this clutch isn't going to do anything I would really like to get them out and back with the drake but would hate to throw out a good clutch... I am stuck... What would you do???

Jenn

 

[kinnip]

Are they staying on the nest. I have two turkey hens who would only stay on the nest intermittently. After about 10 days and a fight that smashed half the eggs, I took the remaining eggs and put them in the incubator. I got about 50%.

 

[AnniesEggFarm]

They are very diligent about sitting... I have to lock them out of the hen house to look at the eggs... They aren't fighting at all, it is very sweet.... I just am worried, I would of thought I would of seen these eggs a little further along than this by now, I can make out a very distinct yolk (large) but no veins, it has been over a week...

Jenn

 

[taraann81]

The same sort of thing happened to me this morning. My Muscovy has been sitting in her eggs for 14 days. I candled them all, not one egg was developing even though I know fertility is not a problem. I took her eggs. Like you I want her to lay more instead of setting on eggs that are not going to hatch. It was sad though she made the most pathetic peeping sound and is now sitting on an empty nest

I hope she gets over it fast and starts laying again. I don't know why this happened, she didn't get off her eggs for more than 5 mins maybe 3x a week. Poor girl.
This isn't really advice just telling you what I did. Let me know what you do. Good luck.

 

[Julie08]

Just leave them alone. Let nature take it's course at least til day 10 if you have to check then you can but don't disturb them before that.

 

[AnniesEggFarm]

Well patients is not my middle name & I found it so hard to believe that my ladies where setting on a nest full of fertile eggs 24 hours after their gentlemen caller arrived.... I went out with the light for some serious candling... Nothing... This was 10 days since they went broody... I decided to slowly sacrifice dud dud dud dud you get the point, there were 25 eggs in the nest I only came across 2 which had embryos in them, I think at about day 2 gestation, beyond that very infertile eggs.... I think I made the right choice, we will just start piling all the duck eggs back in that nest and see what happens over the next few weeks...

Our drake has his work cut out for him 13 ladies

love is in the air...

Jenn