Hens go broody when you don’t want them to… and won’t go broody when you do. Recent content by mccombs
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What is my duckling?!
Hello! I just wondered if anyone can hazard a guess as to what Donald Duck might be? I hatched him from a clutch that were supposed to be crested call eggs, but as he grows I'm getting less and less convinced that this is what he is! He's developed brown feathers on his wings and his head has... -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
No, we put him back in the bator and she was peeping but hadn't broken through the membrane - went in 5 hrs later and she was out! So impressed! I'm convinced he had so much trouble cause he pipped outside of the air sac... Who knows, he's out now and that's good enough! He is trying to move... -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
I've had to leave them to come to work, which is probably for the best as there would be so much snuggling going on! He was really struggling this morning. Is this a common thing? He was only about 6 hrs hatched by that point though so may sort himself out. Fingers crossed! -
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Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
Will they be okay to stay in the bator until tonight when I can set up and move them to the brood box? -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
Didn't think I'd wake up to this! The one we hatched has got curled up/in feet, are they likely to straighten out? I assume cause he was in the egg too long. The other little guy did it all himself! -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
Assuming he's okay I will definitely take pics in the morning! He's an absolute beauty, so fingers crossed! Thank you so much. Now we need some sleep! -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
So... We made the decision to completely leave them to it, went out for dinner, ignored them completely... And then he was squawking his little head off! So we dug him out on a wet tea towel and chipped away until his head popped out, when we noticed that he was covered in gluey membrane and... -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
I am thinking that as he pipped underneath, and the air cell was right on top, that he pipped straight through the membrane and not into the air cell. What do I do? :( -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
I just chipped a little more shell off and there's a small amount of blood. I put him straight back in the incubator. Is this really bad? -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
He keeps opening and closing his bill without making a noise - like he's trying to stretch the membrane. Is that good? -
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Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
How's this looking? Just chipped a little more shell and a little membrane and he poked right out to say hi! Cheeping away but not able to make any progress. Shall I leave him a while or continue? Inner membrane is super gummy, like thick glue. Is that normal? -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
Ahhh this makes a lot of sense! When I made his breathing hole I pulled away a little of the dry paper membrane, and the inside membrane was wet and pink, which I assume means that he was still absorbing blood?! Hopefully that's a good thing as it means he wasn't ready to hatch yet? -
Day 29 Duck Eggs - Help!
It'll be another 3/4 hours or so before I will get home, I'll keep you posted though, I promise! I can't tell you how grateful I am for your advice and support! Forgot to say, there was the dimple of a pip in another egg this morning! Hopefully he can do it himself!