Last minute disaster for broody duck - ?

[loopy12]

Lol...zipping is coming along nicely. Think my hygrometer's died though. Its reading 50% humidity and I don't think that can be right but I daren't open the incubator so will just have to keep an eye out and if he looks like he's stuck for 12+ hours I may intervene. It was a bit of a rush job filling the water channels and ramming the lid on quick, I don't normally hatch in the brinsea, i do it in the hovabator but I knew that would take 12 hours to get up to temperature!
I will keep you updated...

 

[MrsDuck]

Fingers crossed!!! Glad it looks like it's making some progress!

 

[loopy12]

Well when I went to shut them in tonight I found Daisy out on the pond and she has scattered her nest (despite my replacing the egg with a chicken egg stand-in). I think she's lost her broodiness

This is a good thing if the duckling doesn't make it, but a bad thing if it does and she won't take it back. Sigh. The last thing I want is a lonely duckling and finding a friend for him at this time of year won't be as easy as in spring

In the meantime he seems to have stopped zipping. Not sure if he's taking a long break, or if he's a bit shrink wrapped. I don't think I should intervene in case of the lonely duckling scenario.

Will see what the morning brings...

 

[Birdcrazy]

Although that nest scattering is probably not a good thing lol... I've heard from people that it takes about two weeks for a duck to lose broodiness with no ducklings and to start laying again (was when someone was interested in getting eggs again) so maybe when you reintroduce tomorrow if the duckie makes it, things could be ok? Or maybe I'm over-hoping ...

still hope your baby makes it over night, and looks like everyone else does too!

 

[Chloe]

oh good luck xx

 

[duckyfromoz]

Hope you wake today to find the little one hatched. Its always nice to have an emergency end happy!

 

[loopy12]

Well, he hatched.
I tried to reunite him with his mom. She was interested in as far that she came running when she heard him peeping but then pecked him and nearly stood on him. I wasn't too concerned - seen my broody hen do both those things with chicks, but she didn't seem to know what to do next and eventually she wandered off back to the pond leaving him peeping and cold.
Anyway, I found someone who had a week old khaki campbell in a brooder on its own whose dad had attacked it, so my duckling's gone off to there so they can be companions for each other. Not a bad outcome I guess.

 

[Birdcrazy]

Oh atleast he hatched, a shame about the mother. I had a lot of problems with my first-time mother, but now she is perfect with her ducklings.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

This is so nice to see, and a nice place to come to and see adults going gaga over ducks and not being thought of a odd and having dh and family so supportive, my dh is the most amazing man as well to my herd! LOL, my extended family worries I could be a hoarder which is far from it, all because they saw on Animal Planet Animam Hoarders, I have 3 cats, 2 Guina Pigs, 1 Deaf Great Dane, 12 House Rabbits that stay in our basement until run time, 4 which our fosters that I'm trying to adopt out, and then only 2 ducks. I keep my house up, cleaned, and everything. I've seen that show, and I'm not even close. I'm just like each and everyone of you I love animals endlessly they show such unconditional love, people need to learn from animals.
So it's just very nice to come to a place where people can connect to one another and not feel like the odd man out!

Good luck to Daisy's little wee one, I have hope he/she will survive!