Store eggs fertile?

[jak2002003]

Does anyone know if the ducks raised for their eggs in the big farms are housed mixed sex or only females like battery hens?

I just bought some duck eggs from a store and put them under my broody hen.

I would love them to hatch! I heard that for ducks to lay eggs they need males about, but chickens don't. Is that true?

What chances do you think the eggs from the shop will be fertile? They are in the regular 6 pack, and not free range of organic.

Also what breed of duck to the large scale farms raise for egg production?

Thanks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Does anyone know if the ducks raised for their eggs in the big farms are housed mixed sex or only females like battery hens?

I just bought some duck eggs from a store and put them under my broody hen.

I would love them to hatch! I heard that for ducks to lay eggs they need males about, but chickens don't. Is that true?

What chances do you think the eggs from the shop will be fertile? They are in the regular 6 pack, and not free range of organic.

Also what breed of duck to the large scale farms raise for egg production?

Thanks.

Both Chickens and ducks need a rooster and a drake to lay fertile eggs, they will both lay but they won't be fertile unless they have been able to mate with opposite sex. I'm pretty sure large scale farming of ducks is usually Pekins.

 

[Majd]

Pekins are used for egg production in ducks as said... and hatcheries won't be bothered raising drakes that will increase food consumption... and won't affect egg laying for females.... the same for hens.... and why would they offer latge quatities of fresh cheap fertilized eggs for people to hatch and make more competition and less egg buying....

 

[jak2002003]

I agree, but I know most customers buying the eggs are going to use them for food, and not many will want to have their own ducks.

I am hoping a stray drake or 2 got looked over in the flock on the farm and keeping my fingers crossed I might get a duckling or 2!

I will keep you undated!

Also how can I tell the egg is developing using a torch or light? What do I look for and when?

If I can see the eggs are not developing I will throw them away and give my hens some of their own eggs to hatch.

 

[Cheyen]

I agree, but I know most customers buying the eggs are going to use them for food, and not many will want to have their own ducks.

I am hoping a stray drake or 2 got looked over in the flock on the farm and keeping my fingers crossed I might get a duckling or 2!

I will keep you undated!

Also how can I tell the egg is developing using a torch or light? What do I look for and when?

If I can see the eggs are not developing I will throw them away and give my hens some of their own eggs to hatch.

I don't know about them being fertile or not.. but if they end up being miracle eggs, you can candle them by cupping the egg over a flashlight about once a week until lockdown. If an egg is fertile, it will have little veins inside.

I'm doing a similar experiment right now. I have chukar eggs from a local farmers' market, and six eggs out of fifteen are fertile.

 

[Cheyen]

Since I don't have as much experience with ducks as I do chickens, here's a helpful website detailing what to look for when candling the eggs. As far as I can tell, it's the exact same way you would candle chicken eggs.
http://www.metzerfarms.com/Candling.cfm

 

[bugglesmommy]

Sometimes store eggs are fertile. Most of the time big egg producers only try and keep females, but with thousands of birds sometimes males slip the cracks and a single male can tend to a small number of ladies, so it is possible but I wouldn't get too hopeful.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I like this egg chart too. http://wildliferehabber.com/sites/default/files/wr_duckeggchart.jpg