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

[Molpet]

I say turn the heat off by two weeks old.

Yeah but you are above 80 there

Some of us have only been 80 f 2x this year

 

[R2elk]

I say turn the heat off by two weeks old.

It all depends on the local conditions more than the age.

 

[Kiki]

It all depends on the local conditions more than the age.

I agree. I just have it stuck in my head that it has to be hot EVERywhere right now.
I think it will get up to feeling like 108 here today.

 

[debid]

It all depends on the local conditions more than the age.

As well as things like feathering speed. Some chicks are fully covered at 4 weeks, others take 8+. I've never gotten chicks when it was warm out, though (I worry about coccidiosis too much with our humid conditions). So, I'm used to providing heat until they're mostly feathered in temperatures well below freezing. I have, however, seen very young chicks bask in the the sun and ignore their heat source even when it's cold out. I subscribe to the idea that chicks are as smart as chickens since they are almost exclusively instinct-based creatures. So, I let them decide when they're done. I have never actually used a thermometer to determine if they're warm enough, I watch behavior instead.

 

[R2elk]

I agree. I just have it stuck in my head that it has to be hot EVERywhere right now.
I think it will get up to feeling like 108 here today.

It was 48°F here this morning.

 

[CrazyCrttr75]

Xena has been extremely interested in the nest today. At first I thought that she was just trying to lay an egg because we've had to remove her egg over the past couple of days. But today it seems to be more obsessive. She ends up nudging Annabelle off the nest so she can sit, with Annabelle sitting right next to her. Then Annabelle either nudges Xena off the same way or Xena gets up and Annabelle is right back on.

Time wise, we are about 1 week away from hatching. Is it possible that Xena knows this and is trying to help or is she thinking about going broody? If she is going broody, with the ducklings soon to be hatching, is it possible that that will satisfy her instinct or will it encourage it? I have so many questions. Now Xena is back off and Annabelle is the only one on again. I watched her rearrange her eggs and settle back down.

 

[BantyChooks]

Yeah but you are above 80 there

Some of us have only been 80 f 2x this year

Some of us haven't seen 80 even once yet.

With indoor chicks, I turn heat off when they start getting back feathers. It's about 65*F inside.

 

[BantyChooks]

I agree. I just have it stuck in my head that it has to be hot EVERywhere right now.
I think it will get up to feeling like 108 here today.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Kinda sorta maybe accidentally slept until 11:30 today. but at least I finally showered LOL also I’ve been exhausted and done a lot of working out lately (and regular working) and I happened to have today off so I guess I needed the sleep haha haven’t been sleeping that well this week even when I did sleep, too hot or uncomfortable bed or pillows, so I guess I was catching up haha still woke up in a sweat but actually felt like I slept for once. Haha but yeah. Whoops.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sorry, idk what the point of telling you guys that was