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

[CindyinSD]

When it is getting too cold at night, leaving the eggs in the nest can cause problems (possible explosive eggs) later. Some people collect the eggs just as if they were going to incubate them and then return them to the hens once they become broody.

They sit on them all night--then part of the morning--and leave them all day. I'm gonna start taking them away, then. I don't have a spare incubator right now, but if any are developing/alive, maybe I can wedge them in and go to hand turning.

 

[CindyinSD]

Okay... I took the turner out and put them put them (marked differently) in with the other goose eggs. Two looked like they might be started a tiny bit. They can stay a week until the duck eggs hatch. By then, I should know. I'm sure not all will be viable (though I thought that about the (properly stored) eggs, and they're all going). Anyway, most likely something will occur to me and I'll figure it out then. I really wanted to put chicken eggs in the duck incubator but I hate to waste the goose eggs if I can help it.

 

[R2elk]

@R2elk We got white turkeys from Tractor Supply... What age do you butcher those at?

And are poults always mellow. These are the cuddliest things ever!

I am keeping male and a female so we can hatch more out eventually, but I know it's highly unlikely with this breed.

View attachment 2099401

DO NOT hold or cuddle or play with these terrible little professional grabbers of heart strings.

You can process them usually from 3 months on depending on what size you want to cook. Do not keep any with the intention of breeding them. These are broad breasted white turkeys. They are produced through artificial insemination commercially. While they can breed naturally if they are young enough, the odds of success are very poor. There is no reason to try to breed your own broad breasted turkeys especially the white ones. They will break your heart when they die at an early age or worse yet, force you to put them down. They are readily available at a much cheaper cost than you can produce them.

If I was still raising BB turkeys, I would be getting them from Valley of the Moon Turkeys who incidentally will sell their poults sexed.

Do not get attached to them. You will regret it when it comes time to process them.

Do give them a good quality high protein turkey or gamebird starter for at least the first two weeks although the recommendation is for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[Conan]

Okay... I took the turner out and put them put them (marked differently) in with the other goose eggs. Two looked like they might be started a tiny bit. They can stay a week until the duck eggs hatch. By then, I should know. I'm sure not all will be viable (though I thought that about the (properly stored) eggs, and they're all going). Anyway, most likely something will occur to me and I'll figure it out then. I really wanted to put chicken eggs in the duck incubator but I hate to waste the goose eggs if I can help it.

Cindy, my buff is currently sitting on her nest. She is under a year old. None of her clutch is fertile, which, from what I understand, is very common for the first couple years. I have buff goslings lined up for her in a week, which is just about right with what would have been her hatch date.
My gander was very excited to meet Butters, the call duckling. He was so gentle and sweet with her. He did seem interested in stealing her from me.

 

[FortCluck]

DO NOT hold or cuddle or play with these terrible little professional grabber of heart strings.

You can process them usually from 3 months on depending on what size you want to cook. Do not keep any with the intention of breeding them. These are broad breasted white turkeys. They are produced through artificial insemination commercially. While they can breed naturally if they are young enough, the odds of success are very poor. There is no reason to try to breed your own broad breasted turkeys especially the white ones. They will break your heart when they die at an early age or worse yet, force you to put them down. They are readily available at a much cheaper cost than you can produce them.

If I was still raising BB turkeys, I would be getting them from Valley of the Moon Turkeys who incidentally will sell their poults sexed.

Do not get attached to them. You will regret it when it comes time to process them.

Do give them a good quality high protein turkey or gamebird starter for at least the first two weeks although the recommendation is for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

Thanks for that info. I won't keep any. I definitely need a grinder to make sausage and stuff.

They were only $3.50 a piece so he grabbed the 6 they had left. I'll tell him we can't keep any. He probably will like that idea much more anyways.

He said he got them for the same price as the Cornish cross, but they produce way more meat than the Cornish cross. He went to Tractor Supply with the intention of getting the Cornish cross but they didn't have any and he saw these.

 

[sdm111]

3 stags 2 pullets nice split
feathering out nicely
Lacy roundhead

Some a couple weeks younger

 

[FortCluck]

DO NOT hold or cuddle or play with these terrible little professional grabber of heart strings.

You can process them usually from 3 months on depending on what size you want to cook. Do not keep any with the intention of breeding them. These are broad breasted white turkeys. They are produced through artificial insemination commercially. While they can breed naturally if they are young enough, the odds of success are very poor. There is no reason to try to breed your own broad breasted turkeys especially the white ones. They will break your heart when they die at an early age or worse yet, force you to put them down. They are readily available at a much cheaper cost than you can produce them.

If I was still raising BB turkeys, I would be getting them from Valley of the Moon Turkeys who incidentally will sell their poults sexed.

Do not get attached to them. You will regret it when it comes time to process them.

Do give them a good quality high protein turkey or gamebird starter for at least the first two weeks although the recommendation is for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

Do you know where we can buy turkey eggs later down the road?

Turkeys that we can have a male and two females and reproduce our own

 

[R2elk]

He did seem interested in stealing her from me.

Did you ever read my gosling stealing story?

 

[R2elk]

Do you know where we can buy turkey eggs later down the road?

Turkeys that we can have a male and two females and reproduce our own

It is probably too late in the year for the major suppliers of turkey hatching eggs. Put an ad on your local craigslist and you may be surprised to find some locally.

I have 5 dozen in the basement right now that I am not going to set because my batch of 49 still has 41 fertile eggs 2 weeks from hatching. Unfortunately I do not ship anything.

 

[FortCluck]

It is probably too late in the year for the major suppliers of turkey hatching eggs. Put an ad on your local craigslist and you may be surprised to find some locally.

I have 5 dozen in the basement right now that I am not going to set because my batch of 49 still has 41 fertile eggs 2 weeks from hatching. Unfortunately I do not ship anything.

I'll wait until next spring to get them. I don't think I can hatch more than ducks, chickens, and quail. It's insane how fast everything we have is selling.