April 2020 Hatch-A-Long! All are welcome!

[gmjarvi]

I pulled 5 clears from the incubator last night. My duck eggs are doing great.

I have a weird one though. It has no air cell I don't know what to do with it but the duckling is alive so I don't want to pull it if it is still living.

That is strange!

 

[FortCluck]

That is strange!

I don't know what to do. I'll candle it this weekend and show it on here. It's still alive

 

[gmjarvi]

@gmjarvi what are you incubating again?

Right now I have 7 chicken eggs (barnyard mix) in lockdown. Hatching around Easter I have cayuga eggs, 6/8 are chugging along nicely. I had to pull two due to blood rings.

I have 12 CCL, 3 speckled sussex, 3 partridge cochin, and 1 welsummer egg (I think?) coming in a couple weeks.

 

[FortCluck]

Right now I have 7 chicken eggs (barnyard mix) in lockdown. Hatching around Easter I have cayuga eggs, 6/8 are chugging along nicely. I had to pull two due to blood rings.

I have 12 CCL, 3 speckled sussex, 3 partridge cochin, and 1 welsummer egg (I think?) coming in a couple weeks.

You do have ducks! That's why I was asking.

When are your ducklings hatching?

Can you believe my ducklings I just hatched are already living outside with the chickens with no heat?

I was going to put them with our Pekin adults but literally the adults were scared of the ducklings the chickens are actually taking care of my ducklings right now. Mama Chicken protects them like they're her own. She was pecking the whole flock from them at the waterer, it was amazing to see.

 

[gmjarvi]

You do have ducks! That's why I was asking.

When are your ducklings hatching?

Can you believe my ducklings I just hatched are already living outside with the chickens with no heat?

I was going to put them with our Pekin adults but literally the adults were scared of the ducklings the chickens are actually taking care of my ducklings right now. Mama Chicken protects them like they're her own. She was pecking the whole flock from them at the waterer, it was amazing to see.

They should hatch the day before Easter, but I remember from your last duck hatch that they take foreverrrrr lol.

They grow up SO fast! I have some ducklings from TSC that have to be similar in age to your ducklings, I think I got them a few days after your hatch ended. I want to put them outside because they make SUCH a mess, but it is still pretty chilly here. Highs are hovering in the 40s, our last frost won't be until late May. For now I'm enjoying the duckling snuggles. What's the weather like in your neck of the woods?

It looks like some of them are starting to get adult feathers, but it looks different than with chicks so I'm like ???? On the swedish I can see some of the yellow fuzz is turning white underneath, and their fuzzy down is getting a little patchy?

Ducks have got to be the most skittish creatures I have ever raised hahaha. Of course the adults were scared of the babies! So glad the chickens took them in, though. My ducklings right now are being raised with chicks, so I wonder if they will think of themselves more like chickens or if there are enough ducks for them to remember they're ducks!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I pulled 5 clears from the incubator last night. My duck eggs are doing great.

I have a weird one though. It has no air cell I don't know what to do with it but the duckling is alive so I don't want to pull it if it is still living.

Oooh in the other thread I didn't realize it was incubating already. Have you checked the pointy end? I've had air cells in the pointy end before but I've never had one develop. I would think an air cell would reveal itself eventually while the egg looses moisture. Keep us updated on this one! Now I'm curious. Lol

 

[FortCluck]

They should hatch the day before Easter, but I remember from your last duck hatch that they take foreverrrrr lol.

They grow up SO fast! I have some ducklings from TSC that have to be similar in age to your ducklings, I think I got them a few days after your hatch ended. I want to put them outside because they make SUCH a mess, but it is still pretty chilly here. Highs are hovering in the 40s, our last frost won't be until late May. For now I'm enjoying the duckling snuggles. What's the weather like in your neck of the woods?

It looks like some of them are starting to get adult feathers, but it looks different than with chicks so I'm like ???? On the swedish I can see some of the yellow fuzz is turning white underneath, and their fuzzy down is getting a little patchy?

Ducks have got to be the most skittish creatures I have ever raised hahaha. Of course the adults were scared of the babies! So glad the chickens took them in, though. My ducklings right now are being raised with chicks, so I wonder if they will think of themselves more like chickens or if there are enough ducks for them to remember they're ducks!

Yeah ducks start losing patches of down and look quite awkward. Mine are two weeks and have feathers coming in too. They have little patches missing and look so funny.

My Pekin are due the same time as yours

 

[gmjarvi]

Yeah ducks start losing patches of down and look quite awkward. Mine are two weeks and have feathers coming in too. They have little patches missing and look so funny.

My Pekin are due the same time as yours

Even with their patches they are still cuter than my chicks right now, who look absolutely haggard with their feathers coming in .

It will be fun to hatch ducks at the same time!

 

[FortCluck]

Even with their patches they are still cuter than my chicks right now, who look absolutely haggard with their feathers coming in .

It will be fun to hatch ducks at the same time!

Yes! I think mine will be just Pekin. I don't think I got muscovy cross eggs yet.

 

[gmjarvi]

Yes! I think mine will be just Pekin. I don't think I got muscovy cross eggs yet.

Would muscovy cross eggs take longer to hatch than mallard derived ducks?

Next year I'm planning on getting runners, dont tell my husband .