any Mandarin Duck owners?

[fours2many]

I was thinking about buying some hatching eggs in a few months. Is it worth it? Are they hard to hatch? Anyone with any experience with these birds?

I did read up as much as I could find. We have the perfect setting for them.

Thanks, Kristin

 

[1lpoock]

I raise mandarins. They are hard to hatch in just an incubator. The mothers can hatch them perfectly and you can get okay results if a broody hen sits on the eggs for two weeks and then put them in the incubator. If you put them in the incubator from day one, you might not get a great hatch. Always hand turn them too, unless the whole incubator sits on a cradle and turns itself. I think your best bet would be to get started ducklings or adult pairs. The eggs are hard to hatch let alone having them shipped to you.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I have mandarins. 4 pairs. I have had no problem hatching them in my incubator. I like it better, since I can moniter temp, humidity, and make sure their air sacs are growing at the rate they should. Last year I got 4/4 to hatch. I would only reccommend hatching in an incubator if its like the brinsea, where the whole incubator sits on a cradle to turn. I had horrible results by trying to incubate using a yellow hovabator turner, or you could always hand turn. I also like to have them hatch out with some call ducklings, so I stick the mandarin eggs in 3 days before the call duck eggs.