Mandarin Duck thread ( for posting pictures and discussing)

[poultryaddicted]

Do mean every day (if so, how many times a day?) or just in the last few days before they hatch?
Also, how wet must they be and should this water be egg temperature?

 

[BYC-user-174785]

I just do it once a day. There are some days I do not, but it is especially important before hatching. I use warmer water. You can just use a spray bottle and mist the eggs. Just make sure they are wet, not soaked I guess would be the way to put it.

 

[poultryaddicted]

Thankyou
i am a newbie to mandarins
i will keep you posted on further advancements

 

[BYC-user-174785]

Good luck!

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Got my first egg this morning!!!!

 

[BYC-user-174785]

Got my first egg this morning!!!!

Congrats! I am nearing four dozen eggs plus the few that were cracked, softshelled, or found broken in a nest.

 

[chickenlisa]

It has been so busy lately with Easter and Spring jobs outdoors, that I almost forgot that my Mama Mandarin has been setting since the 10th...so that makes her about halfway thru the 28 day period. I was so hoping my new White Mandarin would start to lay eggs too...maybe she will after the regular colored one hatches her babies. For some reason, they only like the one nestbox and nothing else...not even an identical one 4 feet away from their favorite one. I don't know how many eggs she's on- at least 12 last time I tried to check (day 1 or so.) Every time I'm out there, she's in the box and I don't want to disturb her...I wish I'd time it right so I"m there when she's out...maybe over the weekend.

 

[chickenlisa]

Congrats! I am nearing four dozen eggs plus the few that were cracked, softshelled, or found broken in a nest.

Wow! That's a lotta eggs!!!

 

[3BirdGirlz]

Wow! Hope your hatch rate is better this year. I'd like my hen to hatch these because my luck was so bad last yr :/ Should I take the eggs out at first and replace with chicken eggs just so she doesn't break them? It's not freezing at night, so I left it in the box.

 

[BYC-user-174785]

Quote: Yeah I know! They are laying way too fast. Last year neared 150 eggs, but that was from all of our ducks. Awful hatch rate since eggs sat too long and unreliable broodies that kept breaking eggs.

Wow! Hope your hatch rate is better this year. I'd like my hen to hatch these because my luck was so bad last yr

Should I take the eggs out at first and replace with chicken eggs just so she doesn't break them? It's not freezing at night, so I left it in the box.

I collect their eggs since I always have issues with them breaking eggs. I put wooden eggs in their place. I have a hen putting down in a nest, so I hope she goes broody soon! One issue this year is so many unpaired hens. Some simply aren't pairing up, and the wood duck hens had their drake taken away who is being treated after an attack by the other drakes. I did change the pond water yesterday. It is fun watching smew dive through clear water. Saw lots of breeding so hoping good fertility.