When planning to breed ducks, beginners need to find out how many days a duck sits on eggs and for what reason the birds refuse to hatch chicks. You should also understand the reasons for the termination or decrease in egg production and how to put incubation material under the bird.
How many days does a duck sit on eggs
The problems of breeding ducks depend on a number of reasons, ranging from the breed of the bird to the conditions of detention and the diet of the duck, so before you get down to business, you need to carefully study all the nuances.
Features of egg production of ducks
Ducks are significantly less productive than chickens, but their eggs are larger and contain more fat, which increases the risk of overheating. The first duck eggs are laid at the age of 4-5 months. This process is influenced by a number of factors:
- breed of ducks;
- food quality;
- conditions of detention;
- competent lighting.
How many days a duck will sit on the clutch before the first duckling appears also depends on these factors, but on average the hatching process takes about a month.
Ducks lay no more than 1 egg a day, so the nest is filled within 2-3 weeks, and ducklings hatch almost simultaneously - within 3 days. As chicks appear, they should be removed from the brood hen so as not to distract her from the rest of the eggs. Ducklings should be placed in a dry, clean and warm place, and after hatching the last baby - move back to the nest.
In order for the brood duck to feel comfortable, you should not disturb and frighten it: at this time the birds are especially irritable. You also need to protect the expectant mother from the direct sun. If the mother hen feels danger or inconvenience, then she can throw a nest, and the next time the duck will be ready to sit on its eggs only next year.
Preparing to hatch eggs
The process of breeding ducks requires some preparation:
- The hen must be at least six months old.
- The nest is prepared in advance, covered with a thick layer of litter, on which an artificial duck egg is placed.
- The prepared nest is installed in a quiet corner, providing unhindered access to water and food.
- Gradually increase the duration of daylight hours to 16 hours. Artificial lighting is used if necessary.
- The daily feed rate increases, which must be enriched with vitamin supplements.
- Not far from the nest, a container with ash is installed, which helps the ducks to fight parasites.
- While egg-laying lasts, duck eggs should be stored in a dry place at a temperature not exceeding 12 ° C.
- A bird that is ready for incubation should be seated in the nest in the evening so that by morning it will be fully accustomed.
When the hen calms down and stops getting up from the nest, you can lay selected eggs. You need to do this in the dark, so as not to disturb the duck.
Egg selection rules
To achieve maximum results, under the hen, you need to lay high-quality eggs that have been stored outside the refrigerator for no more than 10 days. Experienced breeders advise taking fresh samples for a week, and carefully inspect them for defects and contaminants before lining in the nest. Eggs must also be the same size.
How many eggs to put under the bird depends on several factors:
- Weft size. If the bird is small, then you can put from 8 to 12 pieces, under the middle one - from 12 to 20, and under the large one, in the second year of life - up to 25 copies.
- Eggs should be placed in one row. It is necessary to ensure that the feathers completely cover the masonry, the excess is taken away.
How to choose a hen
The expectant mother is easy to recognize by her behavior: she is constantly looking for a secluded place and covers the bottom of the nest with fluff.
If the brood hen itself perches on the nest and does not get up, then after three days it must be carefully planted with water and food. Repeat the procedure if necessary. If the duck does not leave the masonry for a long time, then after 45 minutes it should be returned to its place.
Domestic ducks do not always hatch chicks willingly. In this case, the maternal instinct should be awakened in them. To do this, a little down of the selected individual and a few test eggs are laid in the nest. The nest with a brood hen is securely closed for several days, allowing it to occasionally leave the clutch for food and drink. When she begins to return on her own, you can lay the rest of the eggs.
The process of hatching ducklings
Domestic ducks are excellent mothers, so you should not interfere with the hatching process. The duck herself will do everything necessary. The main thing is to provide the expectant mother with fresh food and drink, as well as provide water for bathing. The duck dampened with feathers regulates the temperature in the masonry.
From 29-30 days of incubation, you need to check the nest daily, pick up the hatched chicks and remove the remains of the shell. Inspection should be carried out in the dark. The ducklings that hatch first will grow stronger and more resilient. The latter will be weaker.
If several ducklings have hatched, and the incubation material still remains, then it needs to be checked. For this, the eggs are “listening”: if rustling is heard, then the ducklings are alive and will appear soon, and if they quickly cool in their hands and are “dumb”, then the chicks froze.
On the second day after birth, ducklings begin to drink warm boiled water, dipping it into a container with a beak. At the same time, they begin to introduce the first feed in the form of millet with boiled chopped eggs. On the third day, finely chopped greens are added to the diet.
After all the chicks are born, they are returned to their mother, who provides them with the necessary care and protection.
The owner is required to provide good living conditions and organize free walking.
How many days do different breeds of ducks hatch chicks?
How long a duck hatches eggs depends a lot on the breed. On average, the process takes from 28 to 32 days. For example, the first Peking duckling will hatch on 26-30 days, and the musky one - on 31-36 days.
Peking ducks do not sit well on the clutch, so they use an incubator for reproduction or lay their eggs under ducks of another breed, chickens or turkeys.
The duck sat on the nest, waiting 30 days.
Indochka sat down to hatch eggs.
The duck sat down to hatch eggs.
How many musky ducks sit
Indoor women incubate 12-20 eggs for 31-36 days. Birds sit on the masonry place in late March or early April. In the early days, birds practically do not leave the clutch. Only under such conditions does the development of a duckling embryo proceed correctly. During this period, it is important to provide the future mother with food, drink and water for bathing, placing everything closer to the nest. A feature of such brooders is that they subtly feel when a duckling freezes in an egg and pushes it out of the clutch themselves. And they will not leave the sitting until the last chick is born.
Mulard
These ducks are often bred in the household. The breed appeared as a result of crossing the Indo-female and the Peking breed. Hatching material is collected no more than one week. The hens do not differ in large sizes, so no more than a dozen eggs are laid in one nest.
Such ducks sit for about a month. They are distinguished by good maternal instinct and caring for the offspring. Moreover, they hatch not only their eggs, but also the products of other breeds, as well as chicken and turkey.
Peking ducks
Peking women incubate the masonry least of all. The first duckling may appear already on the 26th day, and the last - on the 29th. Up to 25 eggs can be laid under such a bird, but it does not have a developed maternal instinct, because often other poultry hatches such cubs.
Duck breeding difficulties
When breeding ducks, a number of difficulties arise:
- Why is there not a single duckling after the incubation time. There may be several reasons: either the incubation material was of poor quality, or the duck was unable to sit the masonry correctly. Again, under this hen, eggs should be laid only next year to allow the body to recover.
- How long can eggs last without a hen? It depends on how well the duck closed and warmed the masonry before leaving. The second factor is weather. If the season is hot, then it slows down the process of cooling eggs. But it is undesirable for the incubation material to be without a hen more than 1.5 hours.
- Why ducks refuse to sit on their eggs. It depends on the development of the maternal instinct of an individual and the vagaries of nature. Sometimes the owner himself discourages the hen from hatching a duckling (by improper care and feeding). Also, to awaken the maternal instinct, it is necessary to leave at least one egg in the nest where a potential hen is laying.
- When the bird is ready to sit on the masonry. First, only after she has laid at least one egg. Secondly, it all depends on the breed and individuality of the individual.
Experienced breeders recommend not to brood young birds. The individuals most suitable for these purposes are in the second year of life and older.
Now you know how many ducks sit on the eggs, how this process goes and what its success depends on.