What color eggs?

[tdmason]

What color eggs is a female mallard duck suposed to lay and does it mean they are infertile if they are white? I have a female that I am trying to figure out if she is laying fertile eggs in a pen with a male. She laid two in two days but isn't sitting on them.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Okay, let's see if I can help.

The eggshell color has nothing to do with fertility. To check fertility, break and egg open and compare it to the pictures in this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=16008

She won't sit on a clutch of just two eggs - ducks will lay for a few weeks until they've accumulated a full "clutch" of eggs (it can be a little as 5 eggs, or she could keep laying until she has more than 15 eggs accumulated) before they sit on the nest.

By the way, Mallards generally lay green-tinged eggs. Are you sure you don't have Rouens (sometimes called "Giant Mallards")?

 

[classroomducks]

mallard eggs...are light pale greenish color. You can check for fertility either by letter her set on them...or if you cant wait that long...crack one open...they will have a white bullseye looking thing on the yolk. The mallard wont set on them until she has enough. This is usually 8-15 eggs. They wont start to develop until she sets. This way they all hatch at once. Otherwise yould be having babies hatch every day for up to two weeks...hope that helps.

 

[classroomducks]

lol...exactly ^^

 

[tdmason]

Can the Rouens fly? Both of mine can fly and they aren't big at all. Just like the ones that people shoot out on the lake.. I was told they were both regular wild mallards. If she was laying when I got her, would that affect her now? Also, if I just wait, and she starts sitting on them, how long does it take for them to hatch?

 

[Sweetfolly]

Quote:
Well, they must be Mallards then! Rouens cannot fly.

Duck eggs take 28 days (4 weeks) to hatch once she sits on them.

 

[tdmason]

Guess she just likes laying white eggs! LOL! maybe she thinks she is a chicken...

Thanks for the answers, I really would hate to bust one open because that would just seem wrong but don't want them going bad in there. Will she sit on them if they aren't fertile?

 

[Sweetfolly]

Yes - a duck will sometimes "go broody" and sit on infertile eggs, and it's a big time-waster.

I know it's tough to crack open an egg that might be fertile, but it's a good idea to check - because if they're not fertile, she's going to waste a LOT of time sitting on them and not laying any more eggs. If you check them and find that they're not fertile, you can take them away until she starts laying fertile eggs, and then let her accumulate a clutch and sit - you'll have a much better chance of getting ducklings that way.

I read here on one of your other posts that you haven't had her very long? I always keep my ducks in with my drakes for a week or two before I start assuming the eggs are fertile and collecting them to put in my incubators.

Like classroomducks said though, you can let her accumulate a clutch now and wait and see if you end up with ducklings in a month or so!

 

[Red Maple Farms]

From: http://www.all-birds.com/mallard-duck.htm

Mallard eggs vary in color from creamy white, pale blue to blue-green and they have no markings.

We observed this to be true on our own farm. This flying mallard hen is sitting on creamy white colored eggs.

This flying mallard hen is sitting on greenish colored eggs.

 

[tdmason]

I tried to get a picture but this one isn't decent. I don't think it is fertile but what do you think? She just laid it this morning so it was a little early I guess to be able to tell for sure.