Scovy Clutch

[ScovyLover]

I have 4 first year Scovy's. Two of them have their own nests. Each nest has about 20 eggs in them. I had wanted ducklings. Should I have been checking the eggs each day? How do I know if an egg is fertile? Should I take out the old ones? How long does this go on? If they have been laying infertile eggs all this time then they are probably rotten since we have had 90+ heat here for two weeks. This is my first time trying to breed so I apologize in advance for my ignorance but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of info out there.
Also, my Pekin's lay their eggs anywhere in their pen. They all have their own favorite spot. They are 2 year olds. One of them has a clutch in the tall grass and is sitting on them. I have two Blued Swedish drakes. What can you tell me, if anything, about them? She doesn't brood all the time. Since they have not made a clutch like this before should I consider they are fertile?

Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 4 first year Scovy's. Two of them have their own nests. Each nest has about 20 eggs in them. I had wanted ducklings. Should I have been checking the eggs each day? How do I know if an egg is fertile? Should I take out the old ones? How long does this go on? If they have been laying infertile eggs all this time then they are probably rotten since we have had 90+ heat here for two weeks. This is my first time trying to breed so I apologize in advance for my ignorance but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of info out there.
Also, my Pekin's lay their eggs anywhere in their pen. They all have their own favorite spot. They are 2 year olds. One of them has a clutch in the tall grass and is sitting on them. I have two Blued Swedish drakes. What can you tell me, if anything, about them? She doesn't brood all the time. Since they have not made a clutch like this before should I consider they are fertile?

Thanks!

So you have 2 Swedish drakes who are mating with the scovy's and the pekins? how long have these girls been sitting? how would you know which ones are the old ones unless you have marked them? or are you going by how dirty? [some of my girls get their eggs they lay that day dirty and they have clean bedding

What I do when my Muscovy;'s start to lay and I am going to let them keep some eggs from hatching , I'll mark the egg with a washable marker doesn't have to be much a dot or X or you can even number or date them. then when they have laid their clutch I take the oldest and leave them the amount I want them to hatch, I don't let my girls sit on huge clutches, I don't have anywhere to house them and never know if I can find good home for them. [I don't eat my ducks] Muscovys' take 35-37 days to hatch Pekins 28-30 from the time they commit 24/7 on brooding. to check if an egg is fertile crack it open in the yolk if fertile you'll see what is called a bullseye. Heres a chart on candling which shows you as the egg reaches hatch day, http://wildliferehabber.com/sites/default/files/wr_duckeggchart.jpg pics of fertile eggs
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

 

[ScovyLover]

Ok Issue 1: Scovy: Gosh Im sorry. My Scovys are mating with a male Scovy only. My Pekins are being raped by the Swedish. I had no idea any of them had clutches until last week. I didn't know if any of the Scovys would lay yet. They were still young. Two of them haven't. My daughter found two of them laying on their nests. I was pretty surprised to find one nest had 22 eggs in it, the other had 18. I assume they are aging pretty grossly in this heat so I wont be eating any of them. What I am unsure of is how this process works. Does the fact that they are laying on these nests insure they are viable?
Issue 2: Pekin: Only one Pekin is on a nest of her own eggs. Pretty much I have the same questions. She doesn't stay on them as long as the scovy's stay on thiers. But does spend time laying on them. The other Pekins do not do this.

So... how do I know if any of them are sitting on viable nests. Should I disturb them. Etc etc. That's where Im at. I know I must seem ignorant... Im very new to this.....

 

[jdywntr]

Just because they are setting does not mean the eggs are viable. You can try candling the eggs in the evening (search "candling pictures) to see if they are viable. Eggs will only incubate if the hen is a dedicated setter. My scovy usually start sitting at night for a few days and then become full time setters. If the pekin is getting on and off of the nest, the eggs won't incubate properly.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok Issue 1: Scovy: Gosh Im sorry. My Scovys are mating with a male Scovy only. My Pekins are being raped by the Swedish. I had no idea any of them had clutches until last week. I didn't know if any of the Scovys would lay yet. They were still young. Two of them haven't. My daughter found two of them laying on their nests. I was pretty surprised to find one nest had 22 eggs in it, the other had 18. I assume they are aging pretty grossly in this heat so I wont be eating any of them. What I am unsure of is how this process works. Does the fact that they are laying on these nests insure they are viable?
Issue 2: Pekin: Only one Pekin is on a nest of her own eggs. Pretty much I have the same questions. She doesn't stay on them as long as the scovy's stay on thiers. But does spend time laying on them. The other Pekins do not do this.

So... how do I know if any of them are sitting on viable nests. Should I disturb them. Etc etc. That's where Im at. I know I must seem ignorant... Im very new to this.....

What JW says is true, and you do not seem ignorant at all, candling when they are off the nest then marking any that look like they are growing is your best bet. I gave you links which will help you determine if good or not, also smell in case any are nasty and rotten, when you have that many in a nest I'd take half at a time go into a dark closet use a really strong flash light take the flash light and put your hand around it and the fat end of the egg with the flash light on bright you should be able to see inside the egg to determine if there is anything growing in there. your hand should just be holding the fat end of the egg very slightly so you have good view. then use the link I gave you. after you candle and have discard the ones not growing or are rotten then mark the ones you feel maybe worth saving put them back into the nest and get the other half and do the same till you have them all candled and marked. Nothing worse than rotten eggs exploding in a ducks nest so do this as quick as you can to keep that from happening. Please let us know what you find out.

 

[ScovyLover]

Gosh you are all great. Thank you so much. My last question before I start "candling" tonight is: If any of the Pekin eggs ARE growing something should I put them in the Scovy's nests?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Gosh you are all great. Thank you so much. My last question before I start "candling" tonight is: If any of the Pekin eggs ARE growing something should I put them in the Scovy's nests?

Yes the only difference is they might hatch before the Scovy's do depending on development, because all duck eggs besides Scovy's hatch around 28 days. If you find some use the chart that will kind of give you an idea where they are in days, then if they hatch before you can take the ducklings out brood them till Scovy's start to hatch and try to slip them back under a mama duck or just continue to brood them yourself. Look forward to hearing what you find.