Starting to Get Duck Eggs

[NVRDUNN]

This weekend (Sat) we stumbled upon some eggs in the backyard, so it's confirmed,our Pekin duck is female. Our ducks (we have 2 total, the other one is male) are free ranged in the backyard, so we started looking around for any other signs of eggs. We found 3 in the open, 1 in a what I would call a "nest" looking area under a plant. 3 more were spotted in another "nest" under a different plant across the yard. Come Sun there was another egg with the 3 in the one "nest", so that seems to be her primary nest. We have yet to see her lay on the eggs nor do we know if they are mating... Should we be removing the eggs each morning? Is there a way to see if the eggs are fertilized?

 

[PeanutnCashew]

Hi,

Your ducks look like mine..haha. My Pekin is a female as well and is laying. I am collecting the eggs and putting them in a home made incubator. I am new to this too..if you never see her on the eggs, I suppose I would try incubating. You also have to turn the eggs 3-5 times a day.

Calling experts for advice!

 

[NVRDUNN]

I'm assuming she's lay at night too. I just read somewhere that ducks don't mate very well outside of water. Since they only have a small tub of water, not sure if the deed is getting done. I'm thinking of picking up all the eggs tonight and see which nest she uses. Then we can keep better track of when/where she's laying since we're not 100% when she started. The male seems to have become a bit protective of her. They never separate but when the kids are in the yard and start walking away, the male duck chases them, really odd.

 

[NVRDUNN]

These were the 3 out in the open eggs. Didn't get a pic of the 2 "nests", will try to get those tonight.

 

[Mum]

Congratulations on your eggs.

Ducks do mate in water, but they will mate anywhere

Ducks tend to lay they eggs early; mine will do so before 8am. I free range my ducks but they lay in their house. I wouldn't want them laying around the garden because the eggs will attract predators/vermin.

To encourage your ducks to lay in a specific place (ie their duck house) you could put a fake egg, or a golf ball in there and delay letting them out in the morning until, say, 8am. Unless, of course, you are happy to play hunt the egg each day

The male chasing the children away is his way of protecting his girl; so, not odd, but very natural for ducks (or most species actually).