Egg Emergency! *update* all died :(

[obsidianembrace]

Yes I think it was the trauma. We took him out.

This is Bonnie's first offspring, yes.

The box is at 89% humidity now and the temp is just under 100.

What do we feed them? The adults have been on a mixture of IFA 18% layer crumbles and 22% turkey grower pellets. This is what the guy at the store said would encourage bonnie to lay eggs. I'm sure the ducklings can't eat this stuff. If you need more info on the food, I have the little pages with all the ingredient information. They normally eat something else (I don't remember) but they said it would encourage her to lay eggs. We also supplement often with worms, peas, and sometimes goldfish. Plus they free-range all day.

@bargain: thank you

 

[katharinad]

Look for 16% protein content. You may need to grind it for a week, or use a hammer to break it up. I feed my duckling a mash for the first 3 days. That is broken up crumble mixed with water to a soupy consistency. You should also get vitamins/electrolytes for their drinking water. The feed store has it. Make sure you mix it on right or it is too concentrated.

 

[obsidianembrace]

One of the eggs has a dark spot that's dimpling out like you said. And several more have bluish cracks on them. This is exciting

It's hard to wait for hours and hours for little ducklings haha

 

[FenDruadin]

Congrats!! I'm sorry about the one--I had a similar experience with a hen poking a hole through an almost-ready-to-hatch baby and it was alive when I brought it in but did not survive the trauma.


But it's great about the others.

It also occurred to me to ask--where are you located? Are there other BYCers near you who could loan you an incubator? I'd sure as heck loan you mine (I have two, otherwise I wouldn't have an empty one to loan, lol!) if you were close enough to come get it (Charlotte, NC).

Of course, you're getting close enough to done with that portion that you probably don't need an incubator now.

As for food, you can use unmedicated chick starter and add brewer's yeast or niacin (I wouldn't worry about it for the first few days--a niacin deficiency won't show up that quick). Or you can mix game bird feed with chick starter to make a balanced duck diet. I've read that Purina Flock Raiser is also a good duck diet, but I know at least one person who has had trouble with it not having enough niacin. Again, though, the niacin takes time to be a problem, so don't worry about it until you've had time to figure everything out.

Good luck, and congrats! How very exciting!

 

[nuts4chickens]

. How exciting!

 

[Birdcrazy]

Congrats on the hatch

lol i know what it means about the long wait on the hatching part

*stares intently at my eggs*

 

[obsidianembrace]

bahahaha. it's 5:00 in the morning and i've stayed up all night because the incubator won't stay stable and i swear i'm *not* going to lose these eggs now. it's quite funny actually

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have been so busy the last few days I have hardly had more than a moment on here...So glad I had time tonight to sit and read through this thread.
I hope those little ones make an appearance for you today and steady your nerves and anguish a little.


I cant remember how many nights I have stayed up with the incubator, a sick duckling - or years ago an adult goose or duck. When I was a bout 14 years old I spent a very cold winters night outside with a sick gander- with only a hession bag to keep us warm. He survived the night and mum forbade me from ever sleeping outside like that again. I did though. Now days I try to set eggs so they are always due on weekends so I can stay up all night if I need to with out having to worry about being too tired for work the next day...

 

[obsidianembrace]

That's why I'm glad it's summer so I don't have school. I'm super tired though. I stayed up till 3 last night

 

[duckyfromoz]

What sometimes makes it worse for me...as the next night after staying up ...they are hatched and I cant go to sleep as all I want to do is just watch them

I have had eggs at work on hot waterbottles- driven home on my lunchbreaks - and taken annual leave to coincide with hatches. Its so nerve racking at the best of times- I can only imagine how anxious you all are to get a few out of those eggs alive. Of course all this will just make them even more precious when they do arrive.