BAD mama ducks... BAD!

[jessiduck]

You did the right thing!!! Sometimes hens are crazy

 

[DB_Tex]

Alright the one with the leathery membrane was dead... looks like he broke into the air cell and didn't get all the way out before he ran out of time.

How many days should I leave the rest sitting?

 

[abbadackerygirl]

Aww, too bad. Leave the rest sitting as long as you feel comfortable. Try whistling some peeps to them...maybe you'll get a response?

 

[Miss Lydia]

When my duck was sitting just last week, 4 had hatched and when day 35 came I candled them and after i candled and didn't see full egg on the inside or hear peeping when I put the egg to my ear and gently moved it back and forth I could hear sloshing like liquid, well I knew then the last ones weren't any good. i am the worlds worse candler so i needed back up.

 

[DB_Tex]

It's incredibly frusterating to see them come so far along development only to die the first day >_<

So like 5 days from today should be enough time you think?

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's incredibly frusterating to see them come so far along development only to die the first day >_<

I know, It's very sad.

 

[donnavee]

So I've got this nasty pair of swedish/magpie mix hens that are sisters. Pretty ducks, but even in the best of times they don't much care for me. Well, they started setting a nest together and all was going well and good. I caught a glance yesterday evening and one of the eggs had pipped and broken in a couple places. So I was all excited to get out there this morning and count ducklings... I braved many pinches but couldn't find a duckling or the egg from yesterday. When I finally gave up to go gather the kitchen eggs, I found it, dead in the bottom of the cage 4 feet away from the nest with the yolk still attached.

I'm so steamed. It looks like those nasty ducks either killed it themselves or shoved it out and one of the other ducks took it.
I couldn't give it much of an exam, but it didn't seem to have anything wrong with it.

Obviously I don't trust those hens now, so I took the rest of the eggs away and placed them in an incubator to finish hatching... hopefully they survive the ordeal. The flys were pretty bad out there anyway.
One of the eggs has a pip spot with the shell broken away about the size of a pencil eraser and the leathery inner wall is still intact. A couple eggs have micro-fractures too. I don't hear anything when I listen to the eggs though. I guess I'll just have to hope for the best.

I've read about it but never actually hatched before. This wasn't exactly the circumstance I had envisioned. Hoping at least some of the babies are ok!! Good thing I had the incubator. It didn't incubate very well when I tried it before but should be a decent hatcher at least.

Wow, I have a Magpie and a Blue Swedish who are both sweetheart ducks. Neither of them has ever gone broody though - not that it would do much good since the drakes I have are calls and not quite big enough to take care of business. But they sure do try - gives us lots of laughs watching them ride around on the big girls' backs.

Good luck, hope you hatch some sweeties.

 

[DB_Tex]

yeah, I'm sure that these are no reflection whatsoever on the breeds they represent, but they are not nice ducks for whatever reason! LOL I got them from a waterfowl rescue and they have always acted like I was trying to kill them no matter what I did... sitting quietly in the pen ignoring them... massive amounts of treats, holding them and speaking softly.. nothing! The other two ducks I got with them may not be the most trusting, but at least they will take treats like normal ducks! LOL.

I don't even think these two lay eggs of their own. I'll be curious to see if my morning eggs go up now that they are broodless.

 

[DB_Tex]

Well, I got one little girl out of the mess. Her shell membranes kept drying out though and I had to assist since it was hardening on her. She's warm, dry and a noisy peeper for a few hours old. She drinks and poops but doesn't seem strong enough to get on her feet. Her birth was a particularly exhausting ordeal.

She scoots around the box pretty well though. Hope she makes it! She's got such stunning markings.
Daddy was probably the swedish drake and mama was probably one of the layers, but could have been anyone.

 

[Diamond88]

She's beautiful! I'm glad you were able to save one of them.