All advice for raising ducklings please

[PrettyCoolChicks]

yup, I use a disinfected needle too. (one meant for a sewing machine) I just gently scratch the surface of the egg in a tiny circle with the tip until i get through and then carefully poke through the film at the end and check if i can indeed see the beak. It takes a few minutes but i'm too paranoid about cracking the egg or poking the baby with the needle, so I'd rather take longer. I also did it on the floor, on a pillow in case i dropped the egg and under a dark blanket to easily candle as it can be hard to see if the safety hole needs to be on the side. i find it helped me check if i was near the beak and how close i was to poking through based on how much light filters at the hole.

Now i've seen one, the bruise looks very similar to a bruise we'd get if we hit our shin on something. It will be blueish or maybe a bit more purple in the centre.

 

[junior67]

Ok a couple of them are now making the whole bottom half of the air cell dark. So hopefully an internal pip soon. One I thought may have but couldn't get a pic of it and didn't hear any peeping.

Going to be a LOOONNNGGG 4 days!!! Good thing I won't be home most of the day tomorrow

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Do I do the pinprick right at lockdown? I have read to only do it if internally pipped or if you see a bruise on the egg then do it in the middle of that

No need to bother the egg before it’s ready
I myself would never try to help until after baby has started
Either 24 hours after internal pip with no external pip or if they bruise outside the air cell then I’ll make safety hole in the bruise

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Do they draw down more than chickens? The candling pic doesn't really show how much they are drawn down. So that isn't shadowing? I know with my chicks they seem to shadow about 12-24 hrs before internal pip

Ducklings shadow 24-72 hours before they internal pip. Usually day 22-24 is when I see it

 

[Canadian Wind]

Ok a couple of them are now making the whole bottom half of the air cell dark. So hopefully an internal pip soon. One I thought may have but couldn't get a pic of it and didn't hear any peeping.

Going to be a LOOONNNGGG 4 days!!! Good thing I won't be home most of the day tomorrow

Babies coming soooooooon!

 

[junior67]

Babies coming soooooooon!

I sure hope so!!!!! These next 4 days are going to kill me! Lol. I am used to chicks and my chicks hatch on day 19/20. So 24 days is already killing me, nevermind 28

 

[junior67]

I am putting 2 bins together for a brooder for them. How big should the hole between them be? I have no clue how big ducklings are. I know they grow fast. I will only have them for 1-2 weeks.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I am putting 2 bins together for a brooder for them. How big should the hole between them be? I have no clue how big ducklings are. I know they grow fast. I will only have them for 1-2 weeks.

My one week old ducklings are already three times the size of the new ones! So yes, they grow fast. How big are your bins?

 

[junior67]

My one week old ducklings are already three times the size of the new ones! So yes, they grow fast. How big are your bins?

32.5" x 19.5" at the top so bottom is a bit smaller. My MHP is 24x12, well a tad smaller since my frame is smaller so it takes up a decent amount of 1 bin which is why I am putting 2 together.

 

[junior67]

Internal pip? These are 2 different eggs. One I thought I saw the bill good but ofc it moved and didn't do it again.