The main factor influencing how long the duck will hatch eggs is a breed feature. Consider the timing of hatching in different subspecies.

How much on average sits on eggs

Most of the female representatives sit in the nest until the duckling - 26–36 days. In hybrids crossed with the wild variety, this interval ranges from 40 days.

Domestic duck

Domesticated species hatch ducklings for 26–28 days. Oviposition begins in February. The female lays one testicle per day. The first 3-4 pcs. are not fertilized, but they cannot be taken, otherwise the bird will not sit there anymore.

Did you know? When growing ducklings in an incubator, the survival rate is only 60%, and with natural - up to 90%. At the same time, in chickens in an incubator, this indicator is 95%. This phenomenon is due to differences in the structure of the shell.

Musk duck

Indoor duck is also called duck mute. Among domestic breeds, they are the best mother hens. They hatch offspring for 30–36 days and leave the nest only to drink or eat. At the time of her absence, the Indochka covers the nest with down to protect the offspring from hypothermia and attack of other birds.

How many eggs can it sit on?

The number of offspring is a multiple of the female’s dimensions. It should cover all the testicles in the nest. Large individuals can incubate up to 20 pieces, small ones - 10-15.

Another factor determining the amount is seasonality. In cold weather, the masonry should be less.

Duration of hatching in some breeds

To decide to artificially remove ducklings or still put the brood hen in a nest, it is necessary to study the features of the existing breed. Some representatives are not prone to incubation and often throw nests.

Beijing

Representatives of the Beijing breed sit on eggs for 29 days. They have poorly developed maternal instinct, so more often their testicles are laid by other breeds or chickens.

Mulard

Ducks of this breed sit on masonry for up to 35 days. With natural incubation, you need to monitor the quality of the eggs when the female leaves the nest. The first check must be done on day 10. Mulard does not throw out damaged specimens from the nest, which can cause infection of the healthy masonry and the duck itself.

Important! The maximum survival of ducklings is observed in the second year from the beginning of oviposition.

Bashkir

Bashkirs have a well-developed maternal instinct. On the masonry, they sit for 28 days. Depending on the size of the female and the season, 10-17 eggs can be laid at a time.

What to do if the duck sits for a very long time

When the female sits in the nest for more than the prescribed period, and the ducklings do not appear, all eggs must be discarded. There are 2 reasons explaining the pathology:

• violation of the incubation process;
• they were not fertilized.

Under the same female, the second time you should not lay eggs immediately. Hatching is stress for the bird's body; it needs rest. Count how many females per one drake. Fertilization of a large number of females leads to depletion of the male and a decrease in sperm motility. In a herd of 6 females, there should be 1-2 drakes, otherwise fertilization will not be complete and the number of livestock will decrease.

Can a duck sit on empty eggs

Females rush only during the period of reproductive system activity, which occurs in domestic breeds in February. After sexual intercourse, a hormonal failure occurs in the bird and it sits in the nest. The bird will sit on any eggs, because it is unable to independently determine whether they are fertilized or not. This needs the help of the owner. While the bird leaves the nest, every 5–7 days, the eggs should be checked for the presence of an embryo and discarded spoiled.

Did you know? Almost all breeds of ducks are able to dive to a depth of 6 m to get their own food.

The natural hatching of ducklings in domestic ducks lasts 26–40 days. Knowing the exact timing allows the farmer to organize full-fledged care for the brood hen and prepare in time for the appearance of offspring.