The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[exoticduckluvr]

can anyone tell me if you can put eggs under a broody duck with the eggs hatching about 2 weeks earlier than she would expect??? 5 of 8 are developing very well I bought White Mandarin eggs(before I knew I was sick again) when she started laying but then the Ringed Teal hatched almost a week earlier than expected and the Chiloe hen had laid in a ground nest in a nursery pen that I had to take because some of the other ducks were attacking the ducklings. I found 5 eggs in the other ground nest which the Chiloes usually nest in so put game cam to see if it is her laying again. I started giving them other eggs to sit because my drake is sterile. The other hen is on Grey Runner due the 30th?? I was really not planning to hand raise ducklings again after doing it all winter ugh!!!!

 

[chickenlisa]

ok so it's the end of day 23 now, Mama Mandy was out of the nestbox swimming and
checking out all the new grass cuttings I emptied out of the mower bag and left
in the Mandarin pen. I took all 14 eggs that were left in the box out and
brought into the house to candle. 4 more were definitely clear. 1 looks
partially dark but not like it should..or like the other 9 do. They are totally
dark with a clear aircell at the top. So I think the 8 clear ones were from
infertile Myrtle (my weird male/female looking Mandarin)and the other
10 from my proven female. That one different looking one may be a quitter possibly.
That was a lot of eggs in there...18 all along until I took those 4 out 2 days ago.
I don't know for sure. What do you experts think? (The 10 that are dark are now in my incubator.)
Since its only day 23 I think, should I wait 2 more days to increase the humidity or should I
jack it way up now? Its at 45 or so, and I'd normally increase it up to 65-70%
for lockdown...Hatching experts opinions and advice appreciated...
Thanks
Lisa
PS I don' t have the heart to go see what she's doing. She even pooped on me when
i was walking through the pen, flew up over me and let 'er rip

...I bet she's sad or mad now.

 

[chickenlisa]

update: (I have pics and all the info in the Ornamental Fowl section under a post asking about Mandarin eggs on their sides or in a carton.)
I now have 8 Mandarin ducklings who hatched yesterday and the day before. They are doing great and in the brooder box. I'm going to buy Meal worms for them today. They are drinking and I've seen some eat already too. The 9th egg was a quitter and bad inside. I tossed it and didn't attempt to break it open even. It was thick and runny when I candled it (once the other 8 were all hatched) and I saw a thick line like a blood ring or blood vessel...so it went flying off into the woods. Ewwww. Check out the adorable baby Mandarins in my other post though. They are so little and jumpy...yikes.

Lisa
PS- what's happened to this thread? Where is everyone?

 

[Chriswardens52]

I am new to this thread and I'm wondering how to get my Canada goslings to readily accept the chick starter that I feed my ducklings

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

I am new to this thread and I'm wondering how to get my Canada goslings to readily accept the chick starter that I feed my ducklings

they should go right for it, never had a issue with them starting. If yours do, put a duckling in there with them for a couple days, they mimick him. that or meal worms in the food get a lot of birds started.


congrats on the hatch too Lisa

 

[chickenlisa]

Thanks Aubrey! How are you doing? Are you hatching anything down your way?

 

[chickenlisa]

Also, I just found 3 new eggs in a previously unused nestbox and my Mama Mandarin (the one who was setting 2 weeks ago and who I stole the eggs from=8 healthy Mandarin babies downstairs in my horse trough brooder - yes we have a horse watering trough in our basement...call me crazy.) was sitting in there like I was interrupting her. I've never had this happen and we are having a very early weird spring. Everything is 3 weeks ahead of schedule, including our ducks and geese. So could she continue to lay a whole clutch of eggs and proceed to sit again? Should I let her sit...i/e is that healthy and ok for her to sit again just weeks after sitting for 3 weeks on the first clutch of eggs?

 

[Chriswardens52]

I think so. Some ducks renest multiple times. Not sure on mandarins tho but mallards will renest up to 7 times. And your not crazy my brooder is a horse trough too

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

doing good Lisa,
hatching tons of stuff every week, 100-200, but mainly my bantams. Got a late start on the duck collection this year so not sure if they are going to do any thing this season.
and yes mandarins will usually lay 2 sets, some do 3 in a season, so this is perfectly normal... good luck with them

 

[exoticduckluvr]

who am I ?????? found a couple eggs on floor of Aviary this one hatched, found 2 more a few weeks later. 1 is coming along. This one hatched this morning
Silver Wood Duck, Silver Bahama Pintail?? or???