- Nov 30, 2008
- 58
- 2
- 99
I have Welsh Harlequin ducks and two of my hens were sitting on a large cluster of eggs. Because of where they were, I moved them about a week ago. They were in the main coop with chickens, so I had no way to make sure the ducklings were able to get food or water. I put them in the other half of my coop in a small pen so that I could put food and water out for them and protect them from the other birds and potential predators. I had 4 hatch out, but when the first two hatched out, the next morning, one was headless. That is a big part of the reason that I moved them.
I put both of the hens and the eggs and remaining duckling in a small dog crate and put them in the other pen. Two more hatched out, so I now have 3 healthy ducklings. The one hen gave up on sitting, so I removed her and let her back out with the other ducks. So far, no more have hatched out. I checked them today just visually and by weight and they all seem to have a developed duckling inside. I cracked two of them open that I had dated and were about 40 days old. There were ducklings inside, but they both were dead. I fear that the rest of the clutch is going to be the same. There are about 12 eggs left. All are newer than the two that I cracked open, but I believe for the most part they should have hatched out by now. I honestly didn't date them all as I had planned as it was difficult to get to the nest where they were laying them originally.
Two questions: should I give it another week at least to see if some more hatch out? What are the possible causes of them forming but then not hatching? Should I not have moved them? Is the crate too hot? (It is a regular plastic type dog crate that one may use for shipping puppies or kittens and there is no heat in the coop.) I was really looking forward to hatching out these ducklings and am very sad that they are dead before they have hatched out. They appear to be fully formed. Are the eggs too hard for them to get out of maybe? Should I try incubating another batch? If so, what is the best incubator for ducks?
I put both of the hens and the eggs and remaining duckling in a small dog crate and put them in the other pen. Two more hatched out, so I now have 3 healthy ducklings. The one hen gave up on sitting, so I removed her and let her back out with the other ducks. So far, no more have hatched out. I checked them today just visually and by weight and they all seem to have a developed duckling inside. I cracked two of them open that I had dated and were about 40 days old. There were ducklings inside, but they both were dead. I fear that the rest of the clutch is going to be the same. There are about 12 eggs left. All are newer than the two that I cracked open, but I believe for the most part they should have hatched out by now. I honestly didn't date them all as I had planned as it was difficult to get to the nest where they were laying them originally.
Two questions: should I give it another week at least to see if some more hatch out? What are the possible causes of them forming but then not hatching? Should I not have moved them? Is the crate too hot? (It is a regular plastic type dog crate that one may use for shipping puppies or kittens and there is no heat in the coop.) I was really looking forward to hatching out these ducklings and am very sad that they are dead before they have hatched out. They appear to be fully formed. Are the eggs too hard for them to get out of maybe? Should I try incubating another batch? If so, what is the best incubator for ducks?
