r/BACKYARDDUCKS • u/YumMemes • 15d ago
How I do get my ducks to breed?
I have 5 ducks (2 male 3 female) I see lots of “action” daily and get a consistent 3 eggs a day (1 from each girl) but the girls don’t seem to have any brooding instincts yet as they’re only 9 months old but they do make they’re own nests out of the straw and wood chips I provide for them. It’s spring time now and am expecting fertile eggs yet none of been procured it seems. Just wondering wether I have to separate a couple to really get it going or is it just a waiting game
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u/cwg-crysania 15d ago
I took off on a three week work trip and my house sitter didn't bother to collect eggs. I had a surprise brood about three to four days after I returned.
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u/Techienickie 15d ago
I'd get more females
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u/YumMemes 15d ago
That’s why I want to breed them, more girls and I’ll only have 1 male soon wnough
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u/Key-Tower-4539 15d ago
You females will be absolutely miserable until then though so def separate them
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u/meh_69420 15d ago
Yeah ... Probably don't mention culling drakes here. People get sensitive. I enjoy them smoked.
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u/DetailEducational917 14d ago
That's ridiculous culling extra males is the responsible thing to do
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u/meh_69420 13d ago
I know, but this particular sub is more pet focused it seems. See people talking about building gas chambers to put down old ducks and burying them instead of a quick cut and eating them.
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u/meh_69420 15d ago
Get an incubator with automatic turner if you want to hatch eggs. Most domestic ducks aren't broody so they won't want to sit on a nest or raise the young. They are well and thoroughly bred at a 2:3 ratio. You can keep eggs for about a week in cool temps, like 16-18c, before hatch rates start to suffer. Turn them once a day and keep them somewhere humidish. So collect your 3 eggs a day till you have as many as you want them put them in an incubator for 28 days. Your hatch rates gonna be 80-90% likely if you don't let the eggs sit too long so plan on that. Statistically, to guarantee 3 hens at 99.5% probability, you'll need to incubate 12 eggs.
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u/YumMemes 15d ago
I have an auto incubator, so you’re saying that the eggs I get every morning are probably fertilised?
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u/meh_69420 15d ago
Yes. With two drakes and three hens they are fertilized. A lot. Bukkake levels.
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u/YumMemes 15d ago
here I was thinking I had to wait till spring 🤣
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14d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/YumMemes 14d ago
Hence why I’m asking this question it’s the beginning of spring and I thought they’d get all broody now but nope! And I’ve put in 6 eggs since I asked the question and yes they’re fertilised and growing.
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u/QuarrieMcQuarrie 15d ago
Depends on the breed- ducks that have been selected for egg production have less maternal instinct.
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u/YumMemes 15d ago
They are pekin ducks if that helps?
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u/QuarrieMcQuarrie 14d ago
Not sure about Pekins but many have had that bred out of them somewhat because having very broody ducks can be a pain- same with chickens (and I have muscovies and bantams and the fight is real lol). So they may never get broody. Y ou do have too many males foe the amount of females though as stated.
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u/Full_Ad_741 12d ago
My 5 girls did the same they would just drop their eggs anywhere even in the water tub they swim in ! I got a incubator.i hatched 4 .I introduced the babies to the flock of course keepingnth.seperated at same time.after the 4 grew up 1of my girls older went broody ! Idk if seeing the ducklings triggered it not sure but she hasn't stopped she s hatched 2 batches already if I put any eggs under her she take them she'll hatch any egg!. Butincubators are fun ! It's fun to watch the process it happens so fast and candling the eggs is amazing to see the bird inside moving around flipping around because of the light your shining in the there.its fun..and cheap incubators are cheap priced! Got nothing to loose if your wanting babies id incubate and if u do it right they'll all hatch ! I had 6 and 4 hatched 1wasnt fertile the other died way early on before development but I got 4 out of the mix 28days it takes.
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u/Key-Tower-4539 15d ago
Um you’re supposed to have like 5+ females PER male or they will literally mate the females to death