MALLARD THREAD...not rouens, Mallards!

[Amiga]

So last night I candled and they are making their internal pips. My understanding is that they take much longer to hatch than chickens do... But I'm already worried they'll get shrinkwrapped and never make the pip. the humidity is around 50. Should I change it?

I would ask over on this thread - there are duck hatchers there. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/978237/she-said-he-said-whos-right-whos-wrong-no-one/34250

@Lacrystol
@dotknott

 

[Amiga]

So last night I candled and they are making their internal pips. My understanding is that they take much longer to hatch than chickens do... But I'm already worried they'll get shrinkwrapped and never make the pip. the humidity is around 50. Should I change it?

I would ask over on this thread - there are duck hatchers there. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/978237/she-said-he-said-whos-right-whos-wrong-no-one/34250

@Lacrystol
@dotknott

 

[dotknott]

It can sometimes be 20 hours from pip to hatch! Sometimes I wonder if it's more stressful on the duckling, or the human observer!

I'd up the humidity if you can. a small (new) sponge or even just a few paper towels soaked and added to the incubator can bump up humidity.

I aim for some condensation on the viewing window until the first hatch, after that the ducklings tend to release A LOT of moisture and the condensation increases.

 

[Lacrystol]

So I rescued some wild mallard eggs, 10, from a charter boat, and all of them are alive and well in my incubator.so anyway I've hatched lots of different poultry before but never mallards and I was wondering what I should expect hatching-wise. Do they hatch well on their own? Should I be ready to intervene? I have hatched call ducks, but that's the only duck I've ever hatched. Also Is lockdown the same? and does anyone have any mallard-specific tips?

Well if you hatched call ducks this should be a walk in the park. LOL Since you don't know the due date, your best option is to watch for the Dipping and Shadowing..

 

[Lacrystol]

So last night I candled and they are making their internal pips. My understanding is that they take much longer to hatch than chickens do... But I'm already worried they'll get shrinkwrapped and never make the pip. the humidity is around 50. Should I change it?

YES, raise that up to around 60-65, Sounds like they all DIPPED. lol....

 

[Lacrystol]

It can sometimes be 20 hours from pip to hatch! Sometimes I wonder if it's more stressful on the duckling, or the human observer!

I'd up the humidity if you can. a small (new) sponge or even just a few paper towels soaked and added to the incubator can bump up humidity.

I aim for some condensation on the viewing window until the first hatch, after that the ducklings tend to release A LOT of moisture and the condensation increases.

It can take longer then 20 hours, I have a call that internally pipped last night, he has not externally pipped as of yet, BUT man he is Moving around like CRAZY in that egg. I expect him out by tomorrow, if not at least Externally pipped, if he hasn't done that, he will get his safe hole tonight..

 

[Lacrystol]

It can sometimes be 20 hours from pip to hatch! Sometimes I wonder if it's more stressful on the duckling, or the human observer!

I'd up the humidity if you can. a small (new) sponge or even just a few paper towels soaked and added to the incubator can bump up humidity.

I aim for some condensation on the viewing window until the first hatch, after that the ducklings tend to release A LOT of moisture and the condensation increases.

It can take longer then 20 hours, I have a call that internally pipped last night, he has not externally pipped as of yet, BUT man he is Moving around like CRAZY in that egg. I expect him out by tomorrow, if not at least Externally pipped, if he hasn't done that, he will get his safe hole tonight..

 

[iluvsedward]

Thanks guys. I'm at school until 2:40 which is pretty good in terms of leaving them alone because i, much like everyone else, have an itchy trigger finger and I'm used to chickens just moving right along or quail which almost never need help. When i get home I'll raise the humidity. I did lose one this morning for reasons i dont know. He was right side up in the egg so he wasn't in the wrong position but it looked like he just didn't make the internal pip. The rest of them have external pips except for one who was diligently working on it. My issue is when they tap the egg it sounds so feeble i can't believe when theyre all folded up in there they can actually break the shell with their soft beaks and then move around the egg! Nature is amazing.

 

[Lacrystol]

Thanks guys. I'm at school until 2:40 which is pretty good in terms of leaving them alone because i, much like everyone else, have an itchy trigger finger and I'm used to chickens just moving right along or quail which almost never need help. When i get home I'll raise the humidity. I did lose one this morning for reasons i dont know. He was right side up in the egg so he wasn't in the wrong position but it looked like he just didn't make the internal pip. The rest of them have external pips except for one who was diligently working on it. My issue is when they tap the egg it sounds so feeble i can't believe when theyre all folded up in there they can actually break the shell with their soft beaks and then move around the egg! Nature is amazing.

WELL???????

 

[Gypsy-Girl]

Here's a picture of my little mallard Taffy! She's the only mallard in my flock.



I purchased some Welsh Harlequins and Khaki Campbells and picked them up from the feed store. The next week I went back to get something or another, and there she was, sitting all alone in the chick bin... The person who paid for her/him never came to pick her/him up, so of course I couldn't leave her/him. So now she has a happy family amongst the rest of my ducks!