Posted by Ashley Xavier on March 20, 2006

Q: I have 9 ducks, a mix of males and females. I went outside to feed them and i noticed a nest of eggs under an old wagon. She wasn't sitting on it though so I'm not sure if they're fertilized or not. There's 11 eggs in all and I dont want to bring them in if theyre fertilized. What should I do?

State: Rhode Island

A: A female duck will not begin incubation until her entire clutch (she decides how many) is laid. This way, all of the ducklings hatch at almost the same time. She'll lay an egg a day (she may skip one day or two) until all are laid. So...sounds to me as though your female is still laying eggs - they may lay 12 or even more in a full clutch. There is no easy way to tell if the eggs are fertile or not but if there are males in your group, I'd put money on them being fertile. Try to keep any disturbances away from the nest site and once she begins sitting, it should take around 26-30 days for them to hatch. Best of luck to you and your ducks.

John Wiessinger ( March 20, 2006)