All advice for raising ducklings please

[junior67]

Do you see veins still

Looking at the top that is open the veins are dark and not red. I think the yolk sac is behind it's bill/head and that still looks pretty full to my inexperienced eye. I haven't really candled again. Just left it alone besides doing coconut oil every 6-8 hrs or so depending on when I can.

 

[SageBrushPoultry]

LOL took 3 years but yes finally just had to do it!!!!!!!!! Plus my daughter has been saying for 3 years she wants ducklings. I do not want ducks, but we told her she would have to pay for their enclosure and take care of them etc. she looked into it and decided it wasn't for her. haahaaa so figured if I hatch some and give them to other homes she will get her ducklings for a bit. Asked on FB before I even tried and have at least 8 people that said they would take any I hatch or at least some. so figured why not.

Thanks. I am so nervous after reading the hatching issues a few have had, but I do know unlike chicks they can take 48 hrs to hatch (which is going to freak me out!!) so don't help too early!

now time to read up while I am waiting for my chicks to hatch to free up the incubator. LOL

That’s how it starts we did 22 $1 ducks and now have over 200 poultry

 

[junior67]

That’s how it starts we did 22 $1 ducks and now have over 200 poultry

Lol. I am loving the ducklings but not the mess already. My chickens are enough for me to keep up with. But I would hatch ducklings daily for their cuteness

 

[junior67]

the duckling now pushes against the membrane when I am putting the oil on it. Worries me that it is going to pop out before it is ready! LOL But it is still chewing. can only see 1 very tiny vein from the opening. not sure how the rest looks I will try to see if I can see anything by candling in the morning. in about 13 hrs it will be day 31..... hopefully nothing is wrong with it and that is why it is taking so long! I had a couple eggs start later than others but I # the eggs as I saw signs of life. this one was #16 out of 22 so a bit later but #22 hatched on Sat which was on time..... I am worried that I won't know when it is time for this baby to hatch. there will be no external pip, no zipping. maybe I will see it spinning? hopefully it hatches soon! I have to work from 8-4 on Wed so will be gone from about 7:30-4:30/5.....

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

the duckling now pushes against the membrane when I am putting the oil on it. Worries me that it is going to pop out before it is ready! LOL But it is still chewing. can only see 1 very tiny vein from the opening. not sure how the rest looks I will try to see if I can see anything by candling in the morning. in about 13 hrs it will be day 31..... hopefully nothing is wrong with it and that is why it is taking so long! I had a couple eggs start later than others but I # the eggs as I saw signs of life. this one was #16 out of 22 so a bit later but #22 hatched on Sat which was on time..... I am worried that I won't know when it is time for this baby to hatch. there will be no external pip, no zipping. maybe I will see it spinning? hopefully it hatches soon! I have to work from 8-4 on Wed so will be gone from about 7:30-4:30/5.....

You could tell when it got into the air cell so count 48-72 hours from then
I find the bigger the opening the longer they take. They aren’t as rushed ti get air

 

[junior67]

You could tell when it got into the air cell so count 48-72 hours from then
I find the bigger the opening the longer they take. They aren’t as rushed ti get air

Thanks. He was peeping at me this morning so guess that is good that it is strong enough to peep at me. The bill also moved a little since I freaked out when I looked in and couldn't see the bill and it wasn't in the opening. I was worried it had moved and suffocated itself since it wasnt' at the hole. I am assuming that it has made "the second hole" in the external pip just based on how far out the bill is from the membrane, I noticed that yesterday, basically the entire bill is now out. it seems to sleep at night too and not do much work unless the light is one which I found interesting.

my biggest fear is that it is going to do great all the way up till the end and then just not make it. I am shocked that it has made it this long to be honest.

 

[junior67]

oh I candled the other end of the egg and there are some big veins down there still. ho hummm Think this one will feel even longer because it has been opened for so long! and because it is so late! thinking tomorrow or possibly Thurs for hatch which puts it at day 31-33.

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

It is hard to tell from the picture how much comes from dark color of the duck vs. the membrane itself, but the membrane on top also looks dark red to me. When I hatched mine, the membrane became clear when oiling it once the veins were fully absorbed, and all the little veins on top were gone too.

my biggest fear is that it is going to do great all the way up till the end and then just not make it. I am shocked that it has made it this long to be honest.

I get it, I would be terrified of that too if it was me.

But I believe it has very good chances to make it in your care though, it just needs time I'm not so surprised it's still going: it has air and you're keeping it from shrink wrapping, and you're checking for veins/chewing etc. The membrane is intact except for the pip hole and that means it didn't lose a lot of blood at least, and (I assume) shouldn't have as much risk of infection compared to if the membrane was torn in the process. I'm not sure there is more that can be done to improve its odds.

 

[junior67]

It is hard to tell from the picture how much comes from dark color of the duck vs. the membrane itself, but the membrane on top also looks dark red to me. When I hatched mine, the membrane became clear when oiling it once the veins were fully absorbed, and all the little veins on top were gone too.



I get it, I would be terrified of that too if it was me.

But I believe it has very good chances to make it in your care though, it just needs time I'm not so surprised it's still going: it has air and you're keeping it from shrink wrapping, and you're checking for veins/chewing etc. The membrane is intact except for the pip hole and that means it didn't lose a lot of blood at least, and (I assume) shouldn't have as much risk of infection compared to if the membrane was torn in the process. I'm not sure there is more that can be done to improve its odds.

I will try to get a better picture next time I oil it up. maybe have my daughter take it with her phone since hers take better pics but think the dark is from the duckling. I can only see one pink skinny tiny vein behind its bill a bit lower in the egg. the rest of the top ones are now all a dark color with no red in them or pink. now when I candle the other end of the egg I can see some thick veins still so it still has some time on those. I sure wish I could see the yolk sac to see how that is looking! So far it seems pretty happy. LOL it wiggles around when I take it out so it is cool to feel that wiggling in my hands. LOL but seems strong so that is good.

it did bleed a TEENY bit but only a couple little drops on the napkin I used to put pressure on it so wasn't much at all. that was my biggest fear!!!!! I have NO idea how I got that much of the top off with out it bleeding more or tearing the membrane! but so glad that it didn't.

 

[junior67]

The ducklings are 3-5 days old. I read up on how to let them swim. But I do have a question it is 80* out today. Can I let them swim outside or should I do it in the house?