How long does a female duck sit on her eggs for before they hatch?

My female duck has laid eggs and has been going back and forwards sitting on them for the last week and i just wounded how long it takes for the eggs to hatch once she has laid them?
Answers:
Duck eggs take 28-30 days to hatch, except for Muscovy eggs, which take 35 days.

If you find a wild duck's nest on your property and don't see the mother on the eggs, don't necessarily worry. Ducks lay an egg every day or two until they have a full clutch (usually 8 to 15); only then will the mother start to sit on them. It takes the eggs 28 days to hatch from when she starts sitting all the time. When they hatch, she will soon lead them to a nearby body of water. The father takes no part in caring for the eggs or young.

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Hi

In general 3-4 weeks. BUT

Ducks can spend a week laying eggs.. the timer for hatching does not begin until they actually begin to sit or brood..

Fertile eggs can be laid and sit and be fine with no mom on them. as long as they dont freeze

But soon as Mom begins to sit on them and gets them up to the correct temp then incubation begins. and if the eggs get cold after this the chick inside will die.

If your duck is outside and sincee she is laying now it must be warm where you live.. she will get off the nest to get water or food. every day it would be good to provide her a small pool for swimming in if she does not have swimming water now.
When ducks swim they bring back water on thier feather under the belly and that wetness then gets onto the eggs,, which helps provide humidity for the eggs.. mom provides the heat..

You may notice her leave at around the same times each day as well she will know when the eggs are ok to leave..

Also in the last week she may not leave but sit most the time.. you can provide her food or water close to the nest if she will let you just dont put it wher she can spill it on the nest.

The eggs may not all hatch at once either and some may not hatch at all.
She may have some hatch then sit some more for others to hatch. if most have hatched and she abandons the nest and does not come back to it at all or 1 week has passsed then simple remove the eggs. Carefully as they wil not be good to break open! eeeew

If you notice her eggs in the nest are dirty. no worries. she will clean them dont wash them.. chicks get air through the shell.. You will also see you mom turn or roll the eggs daily ith her feet or rump..its okfor her to do it but you should not handle them unless you are trrained in candling.

Same goes for any that seem to struggle hatching. let them be. they will work at it then est work rest and so on and it can take a while and they may loook tired and like they cant do it but they will. its important the ducklings hatch without human help get out of the shells.. they use this time as well to absorb the yoke sac which is vital to them in the first 2 days of life..

One hatched. make sure the reg feed you use for mom duck is a crumble not a pellet.. crush pellets if that is what you use so its small enough for them to eat

Your mom may not have begun to incubate the eggs yet .. you will know once she does. she will sit most all the time and not get off the nest much.

You might keep an eye on other ducks around her as well as once in a while they will eat other ducks eggs! especially bigger males. The Brutes! :0)
Make sure her area is raccoon/fox safe as well. they love duck eggs.

Good Luck
Ducklings are sooooo cute
Peeeep peeep



Wismom