Duck Eggs in Lockdown - Any Tips for Hatching and Brooding?

[Miss Lydia]

Congrats!

 

[Cerise1924]

Congrats!

Thank you, @Miss Lydia ! They are adorable, and seem much more curious and intelligent than chicks.

 

[EverythingDucks]

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I like to use a baking pan under a baking rack and put the feeder and water on top, this way and mess they make just goes trough the hole. Be sure that their feet cant get stuck trough them. Also they're soooo cute!

 

[Cerise1924]

Thank you, @EverythingDucks ! This looks great. I'll see if I can find and old pan. The little ones just started eating and drinking, and they do get very excited and make a big mess. This kind of set-up should help.

 

[Cerise1924]

Update: we have 11 happy, healthy little ducklings running around. It was very hot outside yesterday, so they got a field trip to the orchard. They are so much easier to manage than chicks! They stick together in a flock and stay close to their humans, instead of scattering under the shrubbery.

One little duck started to unzip at 6am, and by 7pm hadn't made any progress, but had been calling out sporadically for 13 hours. My daughter thought I should intervene, so I did. The duckling was ready, the membrane looked right, but it just couldn't fully hatch. I removed half the shell, carefully, and let the baby push itself out. It quickly became clear that something was wrong with the little one. The head struggled to stay up, and it couldn't balance to stand or walk. I snuggled it a lot, and gave it some vitamins, in case it was a deficiency causing this.

The good news - by morning, the duckling is upright, walking, eating, drinking, just like its buddies! So glad for all the helpful info on this site.

 

[Cerise1924]

One more question, please! It's Day 30, and there are two eggs still in the incubator. No rocking, no peeping, no pips. Should I do a water-candling test? Just leave them? For how long?

Thanks for any advice you can offer!