Dutch Hookbill Hatch!

[Ducksmom]

I went in the room and they all stand up and s I spooked them

 

[Pyxis]

Behold my sea of waterfowl:

Lol. I really have to take some nice pictures with the good camera.

 

[Pyxis]

Do they stand differently? They look more upright than normal ducks but not as much as runners

There is speculation that the breed was developed from an early importation of Indian Runners.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Indeed, it was around 7am this morning and they move all the time. I can see 3 bills curving from eggs that came from a seller raising only Hookbill. The others.. we will see. Unfortunately, most of the eggs from this seller did not hatch, the little ones died on shell during the hatch

And That is exactly what i hear about the Dutch Hookbill over and over again: They develop normal and are not able to hatch without assistance…
@Pyxis could that have something to do with the curved bill itself or is that a sign of genetic degeneration due to not enough variance?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

And That is exactly what i hear about the Dutch Hookbill over and over again: They develop normal and are not able to hatch without assistance…
@Pyxis could that have something to do with the curved bill itself or is that a sign of genetic degeneration due to not enough variance?

I don't see how it could be bill related since they hatch with normal bills

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Love the third picture! - They look like sitting at the bar.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Do they stand differently? They look more upright than normal ducks but not as much as runners

The rumors from the Netherlands say that the Hookbill was bred from or with Indian Runner ducks…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Behold my sea of waterfowl:

Lol. I really have to take some nice pictures with the good camera.

Good Grief! The Goslings are already so much larger than the ducklings!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I don't see how it could be bill related since they hatch with normal bills

Good point! - Or maybe not: Maybe their bills are so ever slightly different that our inferior humon eyes can't see it. - Anyways, the Dutch would not have bred a duck breed with hatching difficulties 200 years ago, would they? I mean during that time people had more important tasks to do than helping their ducklings hatch…

 

[Pyxis]

Good Grief! The Goslings are already so much larger than the ducklings!

I always thought they were big babies, haha. Then I hatched emus and now even they look small to me, lol.