Duck Friends Please Read!! Expressing my EXCITEMENT!!

[CelticOaksFarm]

you don't candle to tell if they are fertile, it will just tell you if they have all ready started to develop. (hen having been sitting on them) You will need to crack 1 or 2 open and see if they are fertile so you know if you should be incubating.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Thank you everyone for you comments!! I am sooooo EXCITED!! The first egg I saw sitting there, and I kind of blinked and shook my head... looked again.. is that an egg? LOL! Anyway, my first thought was 1. I have to run in and get my husband (who has developed a love for these birds as well... city boy).. And 2. I have to POST on the FORUM!!

I love this place!

Anyway, here's what I did..

With my husbands help I gathered all the eggs. Where she laid them was right in the corner of the cage. If she went broody she would be a "sitting duck" for a raccoon or fox. (And we have both), simply because they could rip her through it.. (You guys all know what coons can do just by reaching in.)

Also, I am curious as to if both are laying or just one. Tmw morning I will look and see if there are 2 eggs or 1. This of course is just out of curiosity.


I cracked one egg, the smallest one, and it is definitely fertilized. That little bulls eye thingy is there FOR SURE. So we know they're fertilized.

NEXT: I am going to do some work on the cage, something I've been putting off.. But I'll get it done tmw. Just some minor stuff that has been bugging me.
Then: I'm going to return the eggs to the inside of the duck house and give it a week. If no one sets after a week I'm going to put them in my incubator.

I will keep you all posted!!!

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Quote:
FL Chickens: You must have been posting at the same time I was.. I just saw this! Thanks for those pics! They are definitely fertilized! First I cracked a RIR egg that I know ISN'T (I have no rooster) and then compared to the duck egg. There was a bulls eye looking.. actually looks like a mass of cells.. Like I wasn't even questioning it. That's what it was, no doubt.

I'm so excited!!

PS: Sebastopol Geese are on my list of must haves, right after I get my guineas. But first I must move to a bigger place to accommodate my soon to be ducklings!

(And get my Anatolians in place of course.)

THESE EGGS JUST MADE MY DAY!!!!

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Quote:
I'm okay with Mallards. I just was really more upset about TSC selling them in a box marked "Rouens". I mean.. they are different. I wanted Rouens cuz we're in the city and now I have ducks that can fly over my house. I did clip their wings though so we're good. But still.
Next spring when TSC gets in their shipment I will be conducting the "eye stripe test" on them to make sure they are labeling them correctly.

 

[mandelyn]

I got my first duck egg today too! I was all head scratching like "Is that a.... egg?" Yeah, it was... 7 months in waiting after you count incubation! So right on schedule really.

Congrats!

Confused though.. I thought mallards laid green eggs? Or is that only the wild type? My mallard came from a green egg.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Quote:
I just counted and mine are right at 7 months too. I know how excited you are! Because I'm just as excited!! And I wish I had a camera with me at the time.. with that.. "What the heck is that" look I had on my face.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I am so happy 4 U. I know that excitement and I love it when someone can relate.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Ok, here's my update. Looks like only 1 of the girls is laying. And she does it at 10 am. (Yes, I stalked her this morning.) I can't find any more eggs anywhere. But I do have a big yard with lots of hiding areas.
Oh-Let me back up. I let the duckies out early today. Usually let them out in the afternoon, but we've had a hawk so I let them out early since I was going to be gone this afternoon. Anyway, they were free ranging but I'm pretty sure it's just the one duck laying.

which means she laid all 19 of these eggs... I wonder why she didn't decide to set... Hmmmm... I'm going to give it a week before I pull out the bator.

Woo HOo!!

 

[Quackwacky]

Not to spoil your excitement since I was in your situation about a month ago, but I want to share with you what I have learned over all the excitement and concern for every egg.
My ducks have been laying non stop for over a month. I waited for them to sit like you are and they never did. Turns out they are too young and it's getting to late in the year for them to get broody. Just kept laying! I ended up having to throw out 7 taking 23 to the incubator, eating 3, cracking open 2, and there is another 14 in the coop (expecting atleast 3 more in the morning. I found someone on craigslist who is supposed to pick up a dozen tomorrow. But anyway you are going to have loads of eggs. I wanted to save every little life I could, but it gets a little over whelming. My major concern about having so many fertile eggs incubating was "what am I going to do with all of these babies since it will be getting cold soon?". I have 4 hens so you may not get as bombarded as I did though.
Incase no one else has told you, if you are interested in hatching your eggs be sure to date them. They loose viability at 7-10 days so always keep the newest on top. And keep in mind that how ever many you are successful with now will be bringing you more in the spring. That's a lot of eggs!!!
Out of my 23 in the bator, 20 are still developing. I started with thinking I would save 1 or 2, but 20!!!! Wow!
I have done TONS of research so if you are wondering anything I might can help with please feel free to contact me via pm incase I don't see it on here. I did everything the hard way at the beginning so I could figure out the science behind it and with all of the being so recent it is still fresh on the brain.
Best of luck!