How long for duck eggs to hatch?
Incubation begins after all of the eggs have been laid. The female incubates the eggs for 23-30 days. Ducklings leave the nest within 24 hours, and mom will march her brood to the nearest water source, sometimes up to a mile away. Ducklings are independent in 52-70 days. Remember when she is incubating the eggs, do not place any food near the nest – you are not helping her, you are attracting other birds and predators like mice, rats, raccoons and possum to the nest, where they can destroy the eggs or eat the ducklings. When a duck picks a nest site, she makes sure there is a food supply near enough for her needs, but not close enough to attract predators and endanger her nest.