Author Topic: Duck egg advice (Read 1945 times)

NewLifeOnTheFarm · « **on:** March 07, 2017, 03:24:19 pm »

My home hatched saxony ducks have started laying!

? I have two ducks and a drake, I've seen him treading the ducks so hoping they are fertile. I took the first egg for the table, assuming the eggs wouldn't be regular yet, but there are now 3 more eggs all laid together since Monday. Do I need to do anything/provide anything to help her go broody and sit on them?

Thanks

Backinwellies · « **Reply #1 on:** March 07, 2017, 03:35:48 pm »

generally ducks are bad sitters .... you would be better with a broody hen or incubator

NewLifeOnTheFarm · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2017, 04:42:26 pm »

I actually have a broody hen, I might try her! Thanks.

Bionic · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2017, 04:54:06 pm »

I put my duck eggs under a broody hen and it worked fine. She didn't seem to notice they didn't look a bit like her :-)

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #4 on:** March 07, 2017, 05:25:49 pm »

If your male was from the same hatch as your females then fertility might not be great.

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #5 on:** March 07, 2017, 05:45:02 pm »

Not sure about Saxony but I have Appleyards and Indian Runner and they never sit or go broody. My Muscovy ducks are always broody tho and I let them hatch any eggs

Maybe put some dummy eggs in and wait and see?

twizzel · « **Reply #6 on:** March 07, 2017, 05:51:59 pm »

I had 2 runner x ducks go broody last year, both sisters. I forgot to pick in the eggs for a week or so and one went sitting, they need quite a large amount of eggs to make them go broody- mine both sat initially on 15 or so eggs. The first hatch had 12 ducklings and the 2nd had 15. The first one didn't go broody until June though and the 2nd started sitting in July.