Katieao
In the Brooder
We have 13 mallard eggs, all were fertile and moving around at day 25 when I took them out of the turner. I've followed some of the forums and kept the temperature and humidity as recommended. However, the first duckling just hatched yesterday (day 32) and now we are nearing 24hrs and the other eggs aren't doing anything?
-Should I take this little guy out and put him in the brooder by himself?
-We have two week old chicks, should I put him in with them so he isn't in a brooder alone?
-Or do I just leave him in the incubator and wait for if/when the others hatch.
*This is our first time ever hatching eggs, we've always just picked up babies at the feed store, and they've said they sell a minimum of three because if a baby ends up alone it will die due to lack of companionship and competition*
I'm curious as to why it took so long to hatch as well. Everything I read for mallards indicated 28days. But the first little guy was at day 32 and currently on day 33. The hens that were laying were mallard, but we also have one Cayuga drake and one Mascovy drake (who has only shown interest in his mascovy hens). Is it possible the eggs would take longer if one of the drakes besides the mallard drakes bred the mallard hens?
-Should I take this little guy out and put him in the brooder by himself?
-We have two week old chicks, should I put him in with them so he isn't in a brooder alone?
-Or do I just leave him in the incubator and wait for if/when the others hatch.
*This is our first time ever hatching eggs, we've always just picked up babies at the feed store, and they've said they sell a minimum of three because if a baby ends up alone it will die due to lack of companionship and competition*
I'm curious as to why it took so long to hatch as well. Everything I read for mallards indicated 28days. But the first little guy was at day 32 and currently on day 33. The hens that were laying were mallard, but we also have one Cayuga drake and one Mascovy drake (who has only shown interest in his mascovy hens). Is it possible the eggs would take longer if one of the drakes besides the mallard drakes bred the mallard hens?