ducklings or hatching eggs?

[ckoop7]

Hi guys, I am getting ready to start raising ancona ducks and im not sure which way i should go with it. im wanting to spend $100 on the ducks themselves to get them started. For that i can either get 10 ducklings or 24 hatching eggs, im wondering which one is smarter as far as ending up with enough, i am not worried about the time it takes to hatch them myself but out of 24 hatching eggs about how many on average could i expect to actually hatch? I just want to make sure that i dont choose to hatch them myself and end up with less than 10. Is it reasonable to expect 10 or more to hatch out of 24? which way would you go, i would greatly appriciate any insight you would have

 

[Finny]

Hatching eggs is always a risk. The eggs are very fragile and sensitive. I ordered 24 hatching eggs and only two of them actually hatched . It was my first time hatching eggs and experience is key, which I did not have. Also, i had to move the incubator during lock down due to renovations going on in my house. If you really want to ensure you have ten or more ducks I would order ducklings. Hatching is nice if you want to experience a live hatching . Watching the two eggs hatch was something I will never forget. Good luck .

 

[DucksnDaffodils]

Hatching eggs is always a risk. The eggs are very fragile and sensitive. I ordered 24 hatching eggs and only two of them actually hatched

. It was my first time hatching eggs and experience is key, which I did not have. Also, i had to move the incubator during lock down due to renovations going on in my house. If you really want to ensure you have ten or more ducks I would order ducklings. Hatching is nice if you want to experience a live hatching

. Watching the two eggs hatch was something I will never forget. Good luck

.

Agreed. Hatching is a lot of fun, but if it is your first time and you don't really know what you are doing, it can be extremely stressful. I would go with the 10 ducklings. The first time I hatched I had a 3 (ultimately 2, one died days after hatching) out of 18 hatch rate. But then again to be fair, the second time I hatched (from my own eggs so no shipping issues there) with more experience and a better thermometer I hatched 12 out of 12!!! So your choice but there's my 2 cents for what it is worth.

 

[ckoop7]

Thankyou guys, I think that is a much better idea for my first ones so I can at least know for sure I'll have those

 

[Finny]

Please keep us updated

 

[ckoop7]

Please keep us updated

I will!! I'll post pictures of them as soon as I get them, I'm ordering them in the next day or two so I should have 10 babys within a month probably can't wait! I'll post a picture of my setup soon too!

 

[DucksnDaffodils]

I will!! I'll post pictures of them as soon as I get them, I'm ordering them in the next day or two so I should have 10 babys within a month probably

can't wait! I'll post a picture of my setup soon too!

Ancona's are one of the sweetest ducklings babies ever, with their little spots, and since I can't get any this year, I will live through you and enjoy your babies!!

Can't wait to see pics of them!

 

[ckoop7]

Ancona's are one of the sweetest ducklings babies ever, with their little spots, and since I can't get any this year, I will live through you and enjoy your babies!!    Can't wait to see pics of them!

I was trying to decide what breed I wanted and absolutely fell in love with them, the more I researched the more excited I got about them. I can't wait and I know time is gonna sludge by until they come.

 

[Finny]

I was trying to decide what breed I wanted and absolutely fell in love with them, the more I researched the more excited I got about them. I can't wait and I know time is gonna sludge by until they come.

Waiting for my ducklings to come was TORTURE! But once they did come it was all worth it. I remember the post office calling saying the ducklings arrived and I litterally ran out the door and into the car. And then opening the box to little duckie faces looking up at me. I am so excited for you!

 

[ckoop7]

Waiting for my ducklings to come was TORTURE! But once they did come it was all worth it. I remember the post office calling saying the ducklings arrived and I litterally ran out the door and into the car. And then opening the box to little duckie faces looking up at me. I am so excited for you!

Ugh, I know. It's gonna be a long time. I'm gonna take so many pictures, once I start hatching them myself it'll be even more excitement!