What does it mean to addle eggs?

Question

The development I live in is complaining about a few ducks that are living in the lake here. I think this is ridiculous, they suggest addling eggs so they don't hatch. What does this mean? How do you addle an egg? This is ridiculous they are just little ducks! Please someone give me information on this, I need to know what it means to addle an egg and how to do it so I can see exactly what it is.

Answer 1

Addling an egg means shaking it violently to kill the embryo inside.  It works best with younger embryos (say, two weeks old or less).  If the eggs are destroyed, the female duck will just lay more eggs.  If eggs remain for her to incubate, she'll sit on the nest until a few days after the eggs should have hatched, then abandon the nest.  

Another, similar, technique is oiling the eggs.  The eggs are coated with vegetable oil so that the embryo suffocates.  

In the US, it is illegal to addle or oil eggs, or otherwise interfere with nesting native waterfowl species, under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, unless you obtain a permit under that act.  Generally, only DNR or FWS employees have permits for these activities, so be very suspicious of a nusiance control company or neighbor who claims to have a right to destroy the nests.

Answer 2

Sounds like shaking the eggs to stop their little lives. Tch. Never done it, hope it doesn't happen. Leaving something for the mother duck to sit on...

Answer 3

If these are wild native ducks, addling their eggs would be illegal. All native wild birds are protected throughout the U.S. by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Addling means to shake the egg until it dies. If these are wild native birds..you need to contact your local US Fish and Wildlife Service and turn in whoever has come up with this plan. If they go through with it they can be fined for each egg they addle, and even do jail time for each egg as well. Tell them they can deal with problems like this in a humane way without breaking the law or killing birds. They can get advice from US Fish and Wildlife as well for a legal solution.