Hello from Australia! I have eggs and not much idea what to do!

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Kimbo71

Kimbo71

In the Brooder
6 Years
Oct 30, 2013
46
4
26
Victoria (Australia)
Hi everyone,

I have joined this website as I am brand new to poultry and your forums seem to be full of great help and information.

I live in Victoria (Australia) with my 10yo boy. On sunday (four days ago) we watched a wild mumma duck crash land into her nest and totally wreck it. It fell from over a meter up in a tree and there were 5 eggs lying on the ground. One was smashed, one just cracked and three intact eggs. We scooped them up and my 10yo sat on the couch for the next 9 hours with them tucked under his jumper on his tummy while I googled what to do with duck eggs!

When we found the smashed egg, I peeled the membrane back and saw that the chicks were not really that far off hatching, so we thought we would give the others a fighting chance. I saw a thread on here where a lady had a mystery egg left on her doorstep and she incubated it in a casserole dish. Well guess what - I copied her idea and now I have three of the four eggs scratching and one even peeped at me from inside the egg!

I don't know whether to be excited or terrified!

Anyway, I have got a box set up in case the babies do hatch with no problems. But if anyone can offer advice for a rank amateur it will be super appreciated!!

Cheers,
Kim
 
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Welcome to the forum hi from another Vic member. There lots of us here. Humidity most important for your hatching eggs and don't roll them round the babies are getting in position to hatch turning the eggs will disorientate them. Hatching can take ages be patient. Good luck with your hatch please keep us updated
 
Welcome to BYC
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Glad you joined us! Oh wow, that sounds like an exiting rescue-hatch! With them this close to hatching, keep the humidity high (60%+), to stop them drying out too much and getting stuck in the eggs. Ducklings can take their sweet time hatching, so don't worry if they pip a hole in the shell and stop for up to 24 hours, it's normal! Ditto progressing from chirping to pipping through the shell. I give ducklings 2-3 days after the first sign of hatching (chirping inside the egg). Some of them do hatch quicker though.

You can chat with other duckling hatchers in the Ducks section. I will let some of my duck-owner friends know about your hatch, so they can help/talk to you as well. Best of luck!
 
Wow!

Bless you!!

Here is a waterfowl hatching guide

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed

and something specifically for Muscovies.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubating-and-hatching-muscovy-eggs

I am not a hatcher - it takes nerves of steel, but is apparently one of the most satisfying projects a person can undertake, though it is fraught with peril for the duckling.

Oh, and hatchers often check this thread

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...own-as-hatch-day-is-today/38670#post_12243392

May it all turn out well. Praying for you all.
 
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What sumi said is so true and waiting is the worst part.. and since I have only let my mama ducks hatch ducklings other than patience and humidity I am pretty clue less but here is a guide to hatching water fowl that may help you pass the time while waiting.https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/491013/goose-incubation-hatching-guide-completed . I'd put a way to keep the humidity up around the eggs though by using wet sponges or wet paper towels. and
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oh and you don't want the eggs sitting in water so wring out the sponges and towel well.

Looks like Amiga beat me to the waterfowl hatching but here's one for when your ducklings hatch. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711 please keep us updated on progress.
 
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