Australians - Where are you all????

[duckyfromoz]

OK...destressed a little now....I can comment on your post wooklet.... A 2lbs dog!! How tiny. So glad she gave it a chance and two years it wouldnt have had otherwise. Caring for disabled animals is such a time consuming thing. BUt well worth it. Little Ollie is going to be with me a while longer- he is still happy. My Regie is now 8 minths old- and although very thin- and still with baby fluuff attched- she is happy and loves her swim every day. i popped her in bed last night for a cuddle...She was nibbling on my ear and chatting away to me.

AS for my eggs....One had pipped - and is cheaping away- One has died- and one I havent opened. So I have 6 eggs still alive- but a few are possitioned strange again...For some reason my guys dont like being the right way in the egg. Humidity is my problem now I have opened the eggs- but I think I may get at least 4 to hatch.. The last egg still showed movement- but has a smaller airsac so I thought it was a bit further behind in developement. I let it be and will just keep watching to see how things go from here.

 

[wooklet]

I have 5 little ducklings, one has died in the egg and the other 2 are VERY quiet so I will give them one more day and see how it goes. How are yours going? I do hope they are o.k.
Ducklings and chicks are all in the brooder together 10 chicks and 5 ducklings - it's getting rather crowded in there! I have put a little ceramic dish in the corner with a tiny bit of water in it for the duckies, and already they are all splashing around in it, will give them a swim over the weekend and take some pics. They are just gorgeous! Really don't know what I am going to do with them yet! I would like to keep at least two!

 

[duckyfromoz]

Well...you will have done better than me!! I have one almost hatched now...But only four eggs left in the bator that are showing movement. One has pipped the underside of the egg- and is wobbling away like its the epicentre of an earthquake. Stupid me....as well as knowing the temp was a little low...last night I covered up an air hole in the bator....No wonder they were drying out and having humidity problems in the main bator...I feel so stupid- I took it out to put in the hatcher about 2 months ago .... after the first 2 hatches of runners- which were ok...and ever since I have had problems... I am in a corner wearing a dunce cap.....

At least now I know...and have fixed both things in time for the next hatch in just over two weeks... I am also putting more eggs into the bator tonight!!!

 

[Annabella]

It appears such a fine science getting these little things to hatch - such a precarious beginning - if they ever even get there!!

I am truly amazed - no wonder they are so precious when they arrive!! (Apart from being super cute)

 

[dondon]

welcome im from england

 

[wooklet]

Quote:

and Welcome to our Aussie Thread! Do you have chickens? If so what do you have? Nice to have you here!

Ducky,I am so sorry that your hatch is not working out as well as you had hoped. I wouldn't say you have the dunces hat just that these incubators are very sensitive, as are the eggs! When it comes down to it there is no beating Mum! One of our Pekin bantams has gone broody, so it is with a certain amount of relief I am going to leave her to it, SHE can worry about temperature, and feeding! And actually "Mum raised" chicks are nearly always immune to cocci. Just goes to show that Ma Nature knows what she is doing, we are but humble followers!

Doesn't mean to say that we do have a lot of fun and excitement with these incubators. Better luck next time? Although I am VERY pleased with my 5 little duckies, not bad for a first go. And like you I have an incubator full again - 32 assorted eggs all ready to go again!

I guess I'm just repeating a lot of what you said,Annabella! Even a fluctuation in the electricity seems to affect the eggs. Ah,well,we keep trying and learning!

Harry has had his first swim, not really a swim,more of a paddle in a plastic takeaway container, I filled it with warm water and he seemed to enjoy it, blow dried him afterwards just to make sure he wasn't cold and he looked very pleased with life! He is definitely the most forward of them all, and runs to the front of the brooder when he sees me - guess which one will be staying here??

Y'all have a good weekend now!

 

[duckyfromoz]

First swim!! I love that time. Seeing them no what cames so naturally.

I have 3 babies. Well I will have in an hour or so. The first one is out. I have a little one wiith a very dark beak- so I know who her mum was- She is a lovely duck I kept to try and inprove the beak colour in my flock.

Well..I guess if you want to analyse the hatch...together we have 8 ducklings- And If I hadnt sent you eggs- and only set my own eggs and all 8 hatched- the same number of new little lives would have been created....But since you hatched some too wooklet- we got to share the experiance- so regardless...It was a sucess!!

Little Harry sounds so cute. Some of my Runners kind of do a stomping thing with their feet - I hope he turns out to be a stomper for you. Its so cute the way they come to the side of the brooder. I had one last year who would come and sit in my lap when I took them outside. All the pthers would run to the little pool for a swim as soon as they got out the door. But little stompy always wanted time with mum first. They can be very affectionate and Im sure you wil continue to love the antics and appreciate just how different they are form Chickens.


Annabella I remember a few of your girls have been adults when they came to you - or "rescues" Do you know anyone who has an incubator - or been around when they have chicks hatching in an incubator?? Its so amazing seeing them pop out of the egg all wet and floppy. It is heartbreaking to loose them so late in the incubation- but well worth the effort in the longrun.

 

[Annabella]

Yes Ducky - I have NEVER had anything to do with hatchlings!! So the whole thing seems so amazing and overwhelming to me as I read your stories. All my chooks have been point of lay or older than that girls.
My mother in law used to get day old chicks, and we would take the girls out there to play with them. But that's the only experience I have had with them.

I would love to have the experience etc but for now, particularly till my boy (dog) gets a bit older and hopefully more mature/sensible I won't put any more in the yard to excite him. He's a cocker spaniel so he's genetically wired to flush birds out of the scrub and really struggles to understand why I wont let him chase our girls.

 

[wooklet]

Harry and Sally having a swim! I am quite mad, walking around the house with a bucket containing two swimming ducklings! Having poultry turns you like that you know!

 

[Annabella]

Not mad Wooklet - you are just besotted!!

And who couldn't be with such buckets of joy!!!