{"id":8302,"date":"2021-02-08T16:31:04","date_gmt":"2021-02-08T16:31:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/?p=8302"},"modified":"2021-02-10T12:25:20","modified_gmt":"2021-02-10T12:25:20","slug":"hatching-duck-eggs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farmandanimals.com\/hatching-duck-eggs\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need To Know About Hatching Duck Eggs"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you have a flock of ducks<\/a> that is made up of hens and a drake, from time to time one or more of your hens may decide to guard her eggs, sit on them and hatch them. When this happens, there\u2019s really not a lot you need to do if you want ducklings. If the nest is in a safe place, you can typically just leave the hen alone and let nature take its course. But what if you don\u2019t want ducklings, or what if the nest needs to be moved?<\/p>\n

In this article we discuss some of the challenges you may face if your duck hen is setting, and we offer advice to help you face those challenges. Read on to learn more about hatching duck eggs, including how to tell if duck eggs are fertile & how to candle duck eggs.<\/p>\n

Should You Let Your Hen Hatch Those Eggs?<\/h2>\n

\"how<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t want a full clutch of ducklings (up to 15) don\u2019t let your hen start setting. She won\u2019t stop until she has the number she has somehow targeted, and you can\u2019t just take away some and leave others. If you don\u2019t want a full brood of ducklings, remove the eggs promptly, no matter how much the hen complains.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you have the space and the resources, and you want the ducklings, just make sure the hen is safely situated and then leave her alone. Just remember that before you know it, may have significantly more ducks to care for, so make sure you have the space, housing and feed you will need.<\/p>\n

How Do You Know The Nest Is Safe?<\/h2>\n

Your duck hen will pick a place to lay her eggs that she feels is safe. Check to make sure that it is secure from predators and sheltered from the elements. You may need to construct fencing and shelter around it to ensure safety.<\/p>\n

Once your hen has chosen her spot, you can make soft bedding (e.g. leaves and\/or straw) available to her, but don\u2019t put it in the nest. Just leave it nearby and let her build the nest as she sees fit.<\/p>\n

Once your hen has settled in, laid her clutch of eggs and begun the incubation process, it will take about a month for the eggs to begin hatching.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be surprised if the hen pushes some of the eggs out of the nest. She will do this if the egg is a dud and will not hatch. Just pick up these discards and dispose of them. Don\u2019t put them back in the nest.<\/p>\n

If you see damaged eggs, it\u2019s a clue that some predator is tampering with the nest. Check your security, and be sure to pick up uneaten feed before nightfall. Loose grain can attract rats and mice, which will eat eggs if they have the chance.<\/p>\n

Be Sure The Duck Hen Is Not Disturbed<\/h2>\n

Take steps to keep the nesting area peaceful. Don\u2019t let kids, pets or visitors bother the nesting duck. Keep the drake and other ducks away, as well.<\/p>\n

Just do the bare minimum to keep things tidy and make sure the hen has plenty of feed and water. Too much attention will distress the hen and cause her to become anxious and aggressive. Too much disturbance will cause the hen to abandon the nest.<\/p>\n

If something does frighten the hen off her nest, give her a couple of days to return. If more than three days pass, gather up the eggs and clean up the nest. She has abandoned it. This may also happen if the eggs go bad\/die or if the hen is just immature or doesn\u2019t have good nesting instincts.<\/p>\n

Not Every Absence Is Abandonment<\/h2>\n

Keep in mind that your duck hen may not sit on the nest every minute. Naturally, she will need to take breaks for feed and water. Don\u2019t bother the nest while she\u2019s gone. Just leave it alone.<\/p>\n

During very warm weather, she may take longer breaks because the eggs may not be in need of her warmth. Don\u2019t worry if she does a bit of strolling about on a hot day.<\/p>\n

What Should You Do About Eggs That Don\u2019t Hatch?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s normal for quite a few eggs not to hatch. After most have hatched, if there are still some left after a couple of days, wait until the hen and ducklings are off the nest and remove them.<\/p>\n

Be very careful with these eggs because if they are rotten, they may be under quite a bit of pressure from internal gases. If they explode, you will be very sorry as they smell extremely terrible.<\/p>\n

Can The Hen And Ducklings Join The Flock?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s wise to keep the hen and her new ducklings separate from the flock for a couple of weeks. Drakes can be aggressive toward ducklings, and tiny ducklings can easily be trampled underfoot.<\/p>\n

Even if you plan to raise the ducklings separately from the hen, let her care for them for at least a week before you move them into a brooder. This is a good way to give them a strong start and to give them a chance to learn a bit about being a duck.<\/p>\n

What If You Don\u2019t Have A Hen?<\/h2>\n

\"what<\/p>\n

Some people like to hatch duck eggs in an incubator and raise the ducklings by hand. This is a possibility if you are starting from scratch and don\u2019t have access to adult ducks. It\u2019s also a possibility if you just want pet ducks<\/a> and want to be able to handle them quite a bit as babies.<\/p>\n

Be careful, though. Even if you plan to keep these ducklings as pets, you don\u2019t want them so strongly imprinted on you that they stay wholly dependent on you even as adults. Even pet ducks should be allowed to enjoy the sheer \u201cduckness\u201d<\/em> of being a duck.<\/p>\n

Using an incubator is also a good idea if you want ducklings but have a breed that is not especially good at sitting. For example, Pekins lay lots of eggs, but they do not tend to set well. If you want to raise more Pekin ducklings, you may need to gather the eggs, check them for fertility and incubate them to increase your flock.<\/p>\n

How Can You Tell If Duck Eggs Are Fertile Or Viable?<\/h2>\n

\"hatching<\/p>\n

You can tell whether or not duck eggs are fertile by a process known as candling. This is an ages old process that involves applying strong backlighting (e.g. a candle) to the egg so that you can get an idea of what\u2019s going on inside. In the old days, candles were used. Today, duck breeders tend to use a strong flashlight.<\/p>\n

How Do You Incubate Duck Eggs?<\/h2>\n

In all likelihood, you\u2019ll need to use an incubator that is designed for chicken eggs. Because duck eggs are larger than chicken eggs, if you have a model that has individual holders for the eggs, you may need to only use every other space to have enough room. You don\u2019t want the eggs rubbing against each other as this may cause damage.<\/p>\n

It is possible to get an incubator that is equipped with open trays and adjustable dividers. If you can get this sort of incubator, it is better for duck eggs and other large eggs. Whatever you do, don\u2019t crowd the eggs, and don\u2019t mix types of eggs (e.g. chickens and ducks) because different types of fowl have different incubation requirements.<\/p>\n

In fact, different breeds of ducks have different incubation requirements. Some types may have a 28 day incubation period, while others may need as long as 35 days to hatch. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the breed you are hatching to be certain of providing the right timing and conditions.<\/p>\n

If your eggs have not hatched in the time you\u2019ve allotted, don\u2019t toss them immediately. Give them two or three more days and then check for signs of damage or decay. Candle them to determine whether the inhabitants are viable.<\/p>\n

How To Candle Duck Eggs<\/h2>\n

To candle duck eggs, you\u2019ll need a very dark room and a very bright light. Hold the light behind the egg, and cup it with your hand to focus all the light on the back of the egg. This will also prevent shining the light into your own eyes and making it hard to see.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll be looking for veins in the eggs. When you see veins, you can be pretty sure a baby duck is developing. If you see indistinct veining, the embryo may not be alive. If you see very clear veins, it probably is.<\/p>\n

You won\u2019t see movement until the 12th day. When you shine the light on the egg, the baby duck inside will react and move a bit.<\/p>\n

If all goes well, the embryo will keep developing and filling up the shell, so much so that by the 22nd day, you won\u2019t be able to see detail. You\u2019ll just see a solid mass and the air sac surrounding the duckling.<\/p>\n

By the 26th or 27th day, just before hatching, you may be able to see the duckling\u2019s bill moving about inside the egg.<\/p>\n

Candling Duck Eggs<\/h3>\n
https:\/\/youtu.be\/2vD-ihcgqR8<\/a>