The Poultry Keeper

Quackers · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 14

I have 3 aylesbury ducks and 1 drake, i know the eggs are fertile now and 1 or 2 ducks are laying on them at night when locked in but very rarely during the day. what should i do ? i don't have an incubator or a spare broody hen, should i put a heat lamp up? Question

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1825 Location: norfolk

Store some good clean ones in a cool place pointy end down. Rotate them - ie take out the oldest one and replace with a fresh one every day until the duck doesn't lay any more. If she doesn't exhibit any broody symptoms then you either have to get an incubator or a broody hen or you have to give up. A heat lamp won't do it, it's too variable a heat.

You could advertise them for sale of course - or put a message on freecycle for a borrowed incubator or broody hen.

Quackers · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 14

Hi thanks for replying, so they should lay on them most of the time then? The first duck to go broody didn't lay, then another followed and then next day all layed again, but two are sitting on them on a night and the drake is really protective of them, they all sound like geese on their nest but don't spend much time on them during the day. I may buy a incubator as i have heard ducks arn't great mums.

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1825 Location: norfolk

No, ducks aren't great mums as a rule. You would be safer doing it yourself or getting a broody hen. My ducks tended to be great at sitting on the eggs and getting them to hatch though. After hatching the duck mums wouldn't take any notice of the ducklings and just charged off doing ducky things as though the ducklings didn't exist!

And yes they should be sitting on the eggs day and night, just getting off at feeding time. So it looks like they haven't finished yet - or are bored of the whole proceedings already Laughing

Quackers · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 14

If they are laying on them on a night though will this have started incubation and possibly killed them?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 1825 Location: norfolk

Well, I just let my ducks and geese get on with it and they sat on the eggs at night too and it worked ok.

Quackers · Joined: 24 Apr 2008 Posts: 14

ok thanks will try for a while and possibly candle them soon to see what the score is.