Duck eggs?

Question

i have 10 duck eggs under a bush in my front yard. The mother duck left and it doesn't look like she will she coming back because whenever she leaves to go get food she will always cover them up with the wood chips that are around but this time she left them completely open i keep checking on them and she isn't back yet. But i don't want to just throw away the eggs i want to try to help them. I need some advice what should i do?!?!?!?!? im a huge animal lover and want to see these babies hatch please help

Answer 1

How long has she been gone? How warm is it outside?

The eggs need to be kept at a constant temp. of 98 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit with some moisture (a damp washcloth or small bowl of water close by), and rotated every day.

It will take 28-35 days from the day she laid them for the eggs to hatch. Maybe it's time for the eggs to hatch?

Try to leave the nest alone as much as possible. Mama Duck may still come back.

Answer 2

You need an incubator. Thats the best thing to help them hatch.

If you dont get one there is a low percent chance of a hatch. But if you dont you can get the eggs make a nest shape out of a towel placed over a heating pad on the lowest heat. The temp needs to be 98-100 degrees. SPray the eggs with a mist of water/lukewarm water. every day. You need to candle them though. Get a flashlight and get in a dark room and look to see if you see anyhting. This will help you out. http://www.minkhollow.ca/HatchingProgram...

Go to the bottom of each page and hit next to see ig any of these eggs look like yours. And look at the bad eggs as well. TURN THEM 3 Times a Day.

Do you know wha breed of duck they are? Is the mom brown? or is she funny looking black white and different colors. Mallards or muscovies? If they are mallards it takes 24-28 days to hacth. if muscovy 35-37 days. If mallards stop turning oin day 23. mucovy stop on day 33.

If you go to Tractor Supply, you can buy an incubator and all you do is use the termometer to get temp to 99 degrees. Add water. lukewarm water to the rings at the bottom of incuabtor. Turn 3 times a day. And its only 43 bucks. If you keep them you can hacth more and make $.

If thy hatch you CAN NOT release them in the wild. They wont be able to survive on there own. They need a brooder. The brooder needs to be someting with a non slip surface, use shavings or paper. They need 2 bowles, the auto feeders are great to have. Fill one with NON medicated strter. Ask an associate at T.S.C thay will tell you what to feed ducklings. They are to eat only that until they are 1.5 months old. Then they can eat cracked corn. They are to be inside until they are 3 weeks old.

They can go outside and stay outside when they are 1 month old. If you have a backyard that is fenced in they can stay in it and you can make a pen to keep them in at night, use chicken wire so coons cant kill them. Or make all wooden pen. Lock it up at night and in the morning let them out. They shouldnt fly away, but if your not sure cut the tip of the feathers on each wing. Buy a kiddy pool as well they love them. Not the blow up ones but the lower to the ground hardy plastic ones.

If you dont have a fenced in yard, you can make a cop out of a chicken wire and make it big enuff for them to stay in. And a house with a roof so hawks cant get them.

Mine stay in my garage. I have a place in the garage and there is straw on the floos and a lil fence in where thay are to stay with feed and water. Its easy to clean with a shovel. Clean it once every week or every other week.

If you need anything else let me know

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Answer 3

The eggs are probably not even fertile. Ducks will lay eggs even if there isn't a male duck there. The eggs just won't hatch. I would watch them. Don't try to help them, you have no idea how hard it is to raise baby birds. Don't touch them, Don't move them, leave them alone. If the mother duck sees you checking on them, she won't come back while you are there, so keep your distance. If she doesn't come back, it could mean they aren't fertile.

lilyxx

Answer 4

She might also be still setting. You never know. Leave the eggs alone and don't worry about it.

Answer 5

my grandma's duck layed eggs about 3 months ago without a male, and is still sitting on them. it usually takes 21 days to hatch. more than likely the eggs are not fertile. wait 21 days, if they havent hatched, they wont.

you could try candling the eggs. take a flashlight and see if you can see through the egg, if you can, it wont hatch