Well since breeding season is nearing...

[Tlammy]

How long does it take for a hen to lay a fertile egg?

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Depends what you mean by this uncertain post. usually about a miniute to pop it out her vent. by hen on a duck board do you mean a chicken or a duck? a duck about 24 hours from start to finish a chicken about 25 1/4 hours. and if you mean from hatch to egg laying time it varies so much there is no right answer.

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

goosedragon left something out: It takes at least three weeks and at most 2 months from breeding to fertile egg.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Sorry Ducks and Banny hens can you please elaborate a little on the information posted above as I do not understand it as written?? Are you speaking of only young ducks say under the age of 16 weeks that have not laid before?

While it is well known that ducks mate before females are of laying age, this does not neccesarily equate to

It takes at least three weeks and at most 2 months from breeding to fertile egg

When swapping males in a breeding pen it is reccomended that two weeks is given before assuming the new eggs laid are ferilized by the new drake - so I dont quite understand where you may have gotten your information from.​

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

I mean that from the time of mating, following the cell through it's various processes, to the time of laying. It varies approx..
Occasionally hens may 'hold' or 'carry' the, uh, you know, for up to 2 months (really rare) but usually only up to 3-4 weeks. (I think the long term one is when mating happens right before molting.

 

[Senna95]

After ducks mate, they will lay fertile eggs from day 2 (the day of they mated the egg will not be fertile since it is already too far along, and has already started to form the egg white and the shell).

After that, if you separate the males and females, your females can lay fertile eggs for quite a while. 3 weeks is usual, but cases of up to 2 months have been reported.