KRZY4JESUS
Hatching
- Oct 18, 2018
- 9
- 2
- 9
I don't know much about ducks and their egg laying, and I'm having a hard time finding online answers to my specific questions, so I thought I'd try to post my questions and see if there are some experienced backyard duck owners that can answer them. We only have 2 ducks, male and female, she has laid 8 eggs, so far, we're seeing one a day. They are in a nest she's made, in their outside pen. She doesn't sit on them, yet, I've read that she won't until she's done laying.
Here are the questions:
1) I'd like to candle the eggs, but I would like to mark the ones that I can confirm are fertilized. I've tried a Sharpie, just to mark which ones were the first laid, but the dirt removed that pretty quickly. Any suggestions of what to mark them with?
2) I'm concerned about the nighttime temps we've been getting, we've been in the low 40's, and even the 30's, since she's been laying. How cold can it be before I would need to worry about the eggs? And the ducklings if/when they hatch?
3) Because I've witnessed our male mating with her, I'm pretty sure we'll have some/all fertilized eggs, I'm wondering if we'll need to step in and do anything for the ducklings because of the outside conditions we might experience here in Kansas while they're little?
4) After she had laid 6 eggs in the nest, I noticed an egg on our patio, that she must have laid during one of their outings in the backyard, but it was soft shelled, just wondering if anyone has any input on that?
5) Once they start hatching, because it's taking her weeks to lay all the eggs, will it take that long for all of them to hatch?
I think that's all the questions, so far, but I'm sure I'll think of more.
I really hope I've found a forum with some experienced fellow duck owners, that will help us become better duck owners.
Thanks, in advance, for any input.
Here are the questions:
1) I'd like to candle the eggs, but I would like to mark the ones that I can confirm are fertilized. I've tried a Sharpie, just to mark which ones were the first laid, but the dirt removed that pretty quickly. Any suggestions of what to mark them with?
2) I'm concerned about the nighttime temps we've been getting, we've been in the low 40's, and even the 30's, since she's been laying. How cold can it be before I would need to worry about the eggs? And the ducklings if/when they hatch?
3) Because I've witnessed our male mating with her, I'm pretty sure we'll have some/all fertilized eggs, I'm wondering if we'll need to step in and do anything for the ducklings because of the outside conditions we might experience here in Kansas while they're little?
4) After she had laid 6 eggs in the nest, I noticed an egg on our patio, that she must have laid during one of their outings in the backyard, but it was soft shelled, just wondering if anyone has any input on that?
5) Once they start hatching, because it's taking her weeks to lay all the eggs, will it take that long for all of them to hatch?
I think that's all the questions, so far, but I'm sure I'll think of more.
I really hope I've found a forum with some experienced fellow duck owners, that will help us become better duck owners.
Thanks, in advance, for any input.