Call Ducks Finally Hatched

[Julie Birb]

@Julie Bird you're always so kind! When are we going to get to see those zebra finches that you have? Are they a pair (male & female) could you be expecting babies one day?

Oh, thank you AmandaVirginia. They are a pair but she is not into him at all. He wants to mate and she hisses at him and chases him off. Her egg laying the first year I had her was sparse and now it's non existent and she's only 3 years old. They are an odd pair. In the cage at night they sleep separately but during the day when I am home I let them free range in the house and they are always together. Birds…..
This is the male, Jibby. He is the size of a nuthatch and weighs only about 13 oz.


poor picture here but the bottom bird that you can barely see is Little Bit, the hen.

I've had to separate them because they'd fight. Like I said, ODD!!

Thank you for your interest and curiosity, AmandaVirginia.

 

[18angovem]

Oh they are Beautiful! I want some!!

 

[Julie Birb]

Oh they are Beautiful! I want some!!

aaah, thank you. They are so much fun in so many ways. And cuteness to die for.

 

[Dianne1928]

I have 4 call eggs. There due dates will be diffrent. I put them all in while still being warm. Just laid. I have a theory that they will hatch better. I put banti cochin eggs to hat h the time as each duck hatches so they each have hatch mates. I have a smaller incubater for lockdown. My hens are snowey and white. My drakes are magpie and butterscotch. I am so excited!!! fingers crossed for a good hatch.

 

[Julie Birb]

Oops, correction, jibby weighs 13 grams, not ounces.

 

[Amykins]

I have 4 call eggs. There due dates will be diffrent. I put them all in while still being warm. Just laid. I have a theory that they will hatch better. I put banti cochin eggs to hat h the time as each duck hatches so they each have hatch mates. I have a smaller incubater for lockdown. My hens are snowey and white. My drakes are magpie and butterscotch. I am so excited!!! fingers crossed for a good hatch.

Putting eggs in sooner than later will indeed give you a better hatch rate, but it's actually kind of a bad idea to stagger a hatch like that! See, by time the oldest egg's going into lockdown, the youngest may still need several days of turning and lower humidity. So you risk either having a shrink-wrapped baby, or a sticky one. Both can be equally deadly.

 

[18angovem]

Quote:
I believe that she has too incubators.....

 

[Lacrystol]

A saddle-shaped air cell is just what it sounds like; instead of a nice round air bubble, it becomes warped and pinched in the middle, like this:



I've never used the weight method personally, and if you're only in the first week of incubation I wouldn't sweat it too much. If you're constantly taking the eggs out to weigh them, that could actually do more harm than good. Lacrystol posted an excellent hatching guide a few posts above, I recommend you check it out! Good luck with the eggies!

I do not use the Weigh eggs method either, Personally I think its a waste. LOL just gives you something to do while your waiting for the due date. LOL HUm interesting pic but that's not what I was pertaining to..

 

[Amykins]

Quote:
Oh! Well, nevermind then

 

[Lacrystol]

I have a question about your "saddled" comment. I have one (or maybe 2) that have a saddled look. What causes that? I am day 9. Started with 14 duck eggs and 4 turkeys. Had 4 infertile ducks, took out day 7 and 1 infertile turkey, took out this evening, but everything else looks good.
I'm doing weight method, and they didn't lose enough weight thru day 7, so I have lowered the humidity and I've weighed a few over the last couple of days and they are doing better. Still have alot of catching up to do for the first 7 days. How low can the humidity get and not be harmful?

I have 10 Eggs due this week and I have ZERO water in the bator. I mist them very lightly every Wednesday, not sure why I picked that day but OH well. LOL. Shipped eggs will get moved around a lot and cause the air cell to separate and that's when you see funky air cell shaped. Doesn't mean the eggs aren't hatchable just a little challenging because you do need to take an extra step...