Got a question about the reproductivity of White Ducks. Got one male, two females, someone starting laying eggs a month ago, one nest, probably 30 eggs. Have seen one of them sitting on nest, only once. This is their first season. What the hay can I expect? 23 ducks a'cackling? or none? Thank you.

-- New Farmer (here@home.com), January 13, 2000

Answers

Pekins are not USUALLY good setters. If you want ducklings you'd probably be better off using an incubator or a broody hen. I've used both for our Khaki Campbells with good luck. Our banty hen was an excellent mama to three broods of chicks and ducklings last spring/summer. Of course at this point she's not too thrilled to be followed around by all the full-grown ducks :)

-- Kathleen (Kalfy53@hotmail.com), January 13, 2000.

If you want the eggs to hatch you should get something to set on it pretty soon.I don't know where you live, but unless you are in a warm area,this is not the best time to have baby ducklings running around. you could use a broody hen, banties are well known for this,or you could incubate them( this is a lot of work and requires turning them every day), or you can eat the eggs until the weather warms up. There are several varieties of white ducks. the most common is the pekin,so I will guess that is what you have.If they are broody they will devote themselves to setting on that nest nearly all day long. Setting on it for 5 minutes a day will only give you rotten eggs that explode...I speak from some very unpleasant experience. So if you don't have a broody hen,eat the eggs! They are good. If you get a hen to set on them, you need to sprinkle them every day with water for a much better hatching rate and viability. You might like to read The Home Duck Flock by Dave Holderread. It is chock full of information annd covers just about everything in an easy to read style. Hope this helps.

-- Rebekah Leaf (daniel1@transport.com), January 14, 2000.

Ive had a good number of breeds of ducks. I couldnt get any of them to set consistantly. They all seemed to prefer communal nest laying. You need something lie a cochin, a big fat one. I never had any real luck with incubating ducklings using an incubator.

-- william in Wisconsin (wtoebe@wsr.com), January 15, 2000.

Ive had a good number of breeds of ducks. I couldnt get any of them to set consistantly. They all seemed to prefer communal nest laying. You need something like a cochin, a big fat one. I never had any real luck with incubating ducklings using an incubator.

-- william in Wisconsin (wtoebe@wsr.com), January 15, 2000.

My white mucovey mama duck hatched out 18 last year. They are the best mothers I have seen. They are quiet too. If your ducks are Pekins, I would invest in (or borrow) an incubator. They just don't do it themselves.

-- Jenny Pipes (auntjenny6@aol.com), January 16, 2000.

I have owned a small waterfowl hatchery. You are best to find an incubator or ask someone who owns an incubator to hatch them for you. My state features a farmers market bulletin where a person can put an ad.

I mark the first egg with a black magic marker X and leave it in the nest. I remove the following eggs to a cool spot until I have enough to incubate.After the first week in the incubator,check your eggs for fertility by placing them in front of the beam from a slide projector or something with a concentrated small opening. If the eggs are fertile you will see a red dot with three thin red branches. If the egg is clear,discard. If you follow this procedure the second week, you will see the heart beating. Be sure to turn your eggs morning and evening and watch the humidity level. I let my geese hatch out the last six of their 30 egg cycle. My incubator hatch rate is 98%. The goose has a lower hatch rate and may accidently step on a gosling in the nest. Be sure to feed yor waterfowl UNMEDICATED grain!

Good luck and hope to hear your results,

Diane

-- diane legge (dlegge@ttls.net), January 17, 2000.