➡I accidentally bought Balut eggs: 2 live ducks! Now a Chat Thread!

[Ursuline Chick]

Glad this came up, as I am considering getting 4 lavender Marans chicks after my eggs start to hatch and placing them with the other chicks, I want some lavenders, but can't afford $90 a dozen for hatching eggs and don't need 2 dozen chicks at the same time. Just hope my 2 broodies don't notice the color difference. Although Miss Badness my not be a good one to try this with. I think she counts her eggs daily.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

Not sure if I shared this story in this thread or not but I’ll share again.

Got to talk to a guy who was instrumental in trying to bring bald eagles back in Ohio. They had injured bald eagles that couldn’t return to the wild but wanted to increase the wild population. So they would monitor wild nests and during hatching season hatch babies from the captive birds and slip them in a wild nest.
When I asked how did they get the parents to accept a second chick he chuckled and said “We leave them a gift.”
They would rig up and go up the tree to the nest. Make sure all looked good with it and wild baby then leave the second baby and a fish. Parents would come back to two hungry chicks and an easy meal. Feed both and that was that. Adoption complete.

 

[PirateGirl]

So 16 days broody sounds like the perfect time to slip her some balut eggs! The hen thinks she's got about a week to go, the balut eggs have about a week to go, it's perfect!

 

[RUNuts]

So 16 days broody sounds like the perfect time to slip her some balut eggs! The hen thinks she's got about a week to go, the balut eggs have about a week to go, it's perfect!

You, my dear PirateGirl, are evil. Very evil. And make a very good point. However, I am committed to EEs. And we are counting our golf balls before they hatch. It will be educational to see if this one stays broody. She will be a year old. So the 2 bouts of broodiness last year don't count. Yes, it was a leghorn and I kept her off the nest so it didn't last 2 days. No, I have no clue which one it was.

So the next question, do I need more golf balls or will the hen believe she hatched 10 chicks from 3 golf balls?

No ducks. I'm limited to one species a year. For now. Quail next year. They are quieter. And quite tasty.

 

[RUNuts]

@KikisGirls what lumen flashlight do I need to candle golf balls?

 

[Morrigan]

So the next question, do I need more golf balls or will the hen believe she hatched 10 chicks from 3 golf balls?

3 golf balls is fine, as chickens don't seem to count their eggs.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

3 golf balls is fine, as chickens don't seem to count their eggs.

Except Miss Badness, who has already thrown an additional egg that was laid in her nest while she was on break, out of the nest and broke it. I know it was laid while she was out because the ones she is sitting on are all marked and this egg was not marked! So hopefully you don't have a hen who can count like I do. when she gets back on the nest she stands in front of it first and just looks for a min, before getting back in.

 

[Morrigan]

Sometimes a feisty broody makes for a great mom.

I'm excited for your hatch.

 

[RUNuts]

Well, I pulled 7 eggs out from under Floppy today. When I checked earlier, 2 other hens were sitting with her. Appears that 7 did. One golf ball kicked out and replaced. I did not see her take water or food all day. I was hoping to collect eggs when she did. Nope. Or if she did I missed it.

Roof going on the doghouse. I'm a little tired. Not used to working outside and the humidity is still at 60%. Weather channel says we hit 82°F. Hello, Summer!

 

[Glitterchicks]

Except Miss Badness, who has already thrown an additional egg that was laid in her nest while she was on break, out of the nest and broke it. I know it was laid while she was out because the ones she is sitting on are all marked and this egg was not marked! So hopefully you don't have a hen who can count like I do. when she gets back on the nest she stands in front of it first and just looks for a min, before getting back in.

Is this normal?!!