Dead ducklings

[Just Fluff]

Quick update - I cracked open three eggs this morning and found 1 half grown duckling, dead, one that basically exploded on me and one that had no duckling inside. And even tho' she was laying on them, most felt cool to the touch. I think I am going to start taking them away from her after I try to candle them and see if anything is happening in the egg.

In retrospect, maybe I could have put the one hen in with the ducklings that had hatched and let the other sit on the nest. When any more ducklings hatched, I could have moved them to the pen with the other family. I don't know if that would have helped, but it might have.

If nothing else, this has been an interesting, albeit a bit sad, learning experience. I will do things a bit differently next time.

I am thinking of taking some of these eggs and seeing if I can hatch them out myself. Does anyone have a recommendation for the most efficient but not expensive incubator that does well with duck eggs?

Thank you all for your comments and thoughts! I do appreciate it.

 

[GoldenFlight]

Sorry, I've never used an incubator....

 

[WVduckchick]

Quick update - I cracked open three eggs this morning and found 1 half grown duckling, dead, one that basically exploded on me and one that had no duckling inside. And even tho' she was laying on them, most felt cool to the touch. I think I am going to start taking them away from her after I try to candle them and see if anything is happening in the egg.

In retrospect, maybe I could have put the one hen in with the ducklings that had hatched and let the other sit on the nest. When any more ducklings hatched, I could have moved them to the pen with the other family. I don't know if that would have helped, but it might have.

If nothing else, this has been an interesting, albeit a bit sad, learning experience. I will do things a bit differently next time.

I am thinking of taking some of these eggs and seeing if I can hatch them out myself. Does anyone have a recommendation for the most efficient but not expensive incubator that does well with duck eggs?

Thank you all for your comments and thoughts! I do appreciate it.

Buy the best one you can afford. Brinsea, GQF, Rcom

If you have to go cheap, avoid LG's. Hovabator's are the best styros. And avoid cheap Chinese knockoffs.

Having said that, any of them "can" work... it just depends on how much you want to babysit one, and how much worrying you can handle.

No matter what you buy, still buy independent thermometer and hygrometer and test them for accuracy!!

 

[Just Fluff]

Thank you WVduckchick for your great advice. I will see what I can find for those brands.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you WVduckchick for your great advice. I will see what I can find for those brands.

Just remembered, check out Incubator Warehouse, IncuView. I've heard a few good things on them, but not really enough to know whether to recommend one or not. But definitely worth more research.

 

[Just Fluff]

Just remembered, check out Incubator Warehouse, IncuView. I've heard a few good things on them, but not really enough to know whether to recommend one or not. But definitely worth more research.

Thank you for your advice WVduckchick! I will definitely look there too. My husband bought a thermometer from them a few years ago, and I believed it worked fine.

UPDATE on the eggs...I had to bring the three ducklings into the house as it has really dropped temperature-wise here and she was having trouble with them and the eggs. Today she pretty much abandoned the nest, so I guess 3 is all that I will have from this clutch. Aw well....better luck next time. I learned a bit of things, so maybe next time will go better. I am going to keep the ducklings in the house for awhile, as they are terrified of me and I would like them to get used to me and know that I won't kill them!

Also, it has been below freezing for the last several nights, like in the low teens, and only around freezing during the day, so I would prefer to keep them warm at home than risk loosing them outside.

One of my Rat Terriers is wanting to watch over them.

 

[WVduckchick]

Thank you for your advice WVduckchick! I will definitely look there too. My husband bought a thermometer from them a few years ago, and I believed it worked fine. UPDATE on the eggs...I had to bring the three ducklings into the house as it has really dropped temperature-wise here and she was having trouble with them and the eggs. Today she pretty much abandoned the nest, so I guess 3 is all that I will have from this clutch. Aw well....better luck next time. I learned a bit of things, so maybe next time will go better. I am going to keep the ducklings in the house for awhile, as they are terrified of me and I would like them to get used to me and know that I won't kill them! :/ Also, it has been below freezing for the last several nights, like in the low teens, and only around freezing during the day, so I would prefer to keep them warm at home than risk loosing them outside. One of my Rat Terriers is wanting to watch over them.

Very cute! They grow so fast, how are they doing now?

 

[GoldenFlight]

Thank you for your advice WVduckchick! I will definitely look there too. My husband bought a thermometer from them a few years ago, and I believed it worked fine. UPDATE on the eggs...I had to bring the three ducklings into the house as it has really dropped temperature-wise here and she was having trouble with them and the eggs. Today she pretty much abandoned the nest, so I guess 3 is all that I will have from this clutch. Aw well....better luck next time. I learned a bit of things, so maybe next time will go better. I am going to keep the ducklings in the house for awhile, as they are terrified of me and I would like them to get used to me and know that I won't kill them! :/ Also, it has been below freezing for the last several nights, like in the low teens, and only around freezing during the day, so I would prefer to keep them warm at home than risk loosing them outside. One of my Rat Terriers is wanting to watch over them.

So cute!