Should i put eggs under heat lamp

[Camdyn Unterseher]

My mallard is starting to lay eggs but she does not sit on them. I live in kansas and it still gets to 20 degrees at night should i put a heat lamp on the eggs?

 

[Birdinhand]

I would not put the eggs under a heat lamp, that could easily initiate incubation without being at the proper temperature. if you are worried about the eggs freezing when she is not on them, you could collect them and add fake eggs in their place, and then once she goes broody, swap them all out for the real thing and mark that as day one of incubation.

 

[21hens-incharge]

She may not go broody at all too. In that case you would need either a broody hen or an incubator.

I know hatch ability decreases over time so they cannot be put under her if they sit for much over a week.

I personally would use the eggs and give her time to go broody before adding any to the nest.

 

[chickens really]

Hens lay many eggs before they ever decide to set and that's a Big if too..Not all go Broody..Hormones are what cause Broodiness in Birds..

 

[Birdinhand]

increasing light exposure with a lamp on a timer can help induce broodiness, IF they have it in them to go broody.