How Does a Duck Egg Hatch?
Incubation Duck eggs have to be kept warm during the incubation period in order to hatch. The incubation period is the period of time that the ducklings are developing inside of the egg. Duck eggs incubate for approximately 28 days. The mother duck, called a hen, keeps the eggs warm and protected. She lays the eggs inside of a nest that she built out of grass and reeds. She builds the nest in a hidden area by a body of water. Hens usually build their nests in the same general area that they hatched. The mother hen sits on top of her eggs during the incubation period. Her feathers provide the warmth that the eggs need to develop. Hatching After the eggs are done incubating, they begin hatching. All of the eggs in a clutch (a clutch is a group of eggs that belong to one hen) hatch within a 24-hour time frame. A duckling uses their egg tooth to break out of their shell. The egg tooth is a growth at the tip of the duckling’s beak. The whole purpose of the egg tooth is to assist the ducklin
