She's laying eggs, needing answers.....

[CayugaJana]

So, do I understand you, that I can't candle the eggs and see if they're fertilized?
I have not seen her doing any sitting on them during the day, not sure if she's sitting on them at night, guess I better check on that. I wasn't sure about them surviving, in the egg at the cold night temps. I wondered if we'd need to bring them inside, if any hatch, during the colder months, but I would assume that would mean momma too? Which would also mean daddy, they're joined at the hip. If that's the case, I'll really have to start thinking how that's going to happen. Is it possible to make it warm enough in their outside pen? We've got some warming mats and lamps we were going to try. My hubby has chickens and pigeons in a large aviary that he built, so we've got to keep them warm this winter.
All your other answers have been very helpful, thanks very much!!

Yes that is correct. You can only see if they are fertilized once the mom has sat 24/7 for about a week. Other than that, you would have to crack them open and look for a certain spot on the eggs.

Do you have an incubator? It would be waaay easier than bringing full grown ducks into the house. They are so messy and stink to high heaven once indoors.

You could put a heat lamp somewhat near her nest. That would keep them from freezing and cracking the shell open. But I wouldn’t keep it very close. Just enough so the eggs don’t freeze. But she may very well not sit on any eggs until spring time.

 

[KRZY4JESUS]

Yes that is correct. You can only see if they are fertilized once the mom has sat 24/7 for about a week. Other than that, you would have to crack them open and look for a certain spot on the eggs.

Do you have an incubator? It would be waaay easier than bringing full grown ducks into the house. They are so messy and stink to high heaven once indoors.

You could put a heat lamp somewhat near her nest. That would keep them from freezing and cracking the shell open. But I wouldn’t keep it very close. Just enough so the eggs don’t freeze. But she may very well not sit on any eggs until spring time.

We don't have an incubator. If we go that route, when would we put the eggs in there? If she's still laying, do we wait until a couple of days go by and she hasn't laid anymore? Will she be OK with us taking the eggs from her? If I'm gonna do that, then I have a whole bunch more to learn about the incubator process. Once they would hatch, then how soon do I put them back with mom and dad? Would that be determined by the winter temps going on at the time? I feel so lost and uneducated, I really hope I can do the right thing.

 

[Dona Worry]

I'm honestly a little confused by this whole thread.
Are you not planning to collect ANY of these eggs?
What makes you think she will sit on them?
Why would you want her to?

If it was me, I would collect the egg every day and eat them, and if she starts going broody, I would decide if I wanted ducklings from her then.

 

[Sue S]

If you want babies ( ducklings ) now then I would get an incubator to hatch them, but with the winter coming I wouldn't let the babies outside, If you don't want ducklings til spring then you can just take the eggs from her, I have 3 females & 1 male, & I've decided that I don't want babies til spring so I take the eggs from the pen every morning when I let them out

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just because a female begins laying does not mean she will sit the eggs and brood. And like the others have said letting her hatch this time of year isn't the best. Fresh duck eggs are very tasty and wonderful in baked goods. Even fertile ones no difference in taste at all.