Eggs eggs eggs! She's alayin' !

[Amiga]

Glad to me of help Amiga. I need to compile all of my pictures and basics into one post again like I did with the when to help a hatch and when not to.

Yes! Thanks!

 

[kaumlauf]

Thank you for the notes. I have candled some of them, and a few look completely opaque....does this mean they are close to hatching? She is a dedicated brooder...she seems to be on them all the time. When she gets up for her daily walk (we take them outside to the "pond") for excersize, fresh air and a bath, she is stiff and wobbly, and actually looks bigger, fatter and wider. She is sitting on about 20 eggs, a few of which are probably bad. I should probably remove those, correct? Also, when you mark the eggs with an X, what do you use? a pencil? She also is quacking loudly, when she sees us. She never did that before she started staying on her eggs. We think she's just glad to see us, and is looking forward to her walk to the pool...or is she alarmed that we are near the eggs? She was hand raised from a day old, and has imprinted on us. She is very comfortable with us, and lets us touch her, most times. If the eggs are opaque, will they hatch soon? She started laying eggs over a month ago, and is only 6 months old. And, well, the drake, whom I call Mr. Drake (The Colonel) is very interes tin mating, and is constantly after her, especially when she is on the water...

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Remove all eggs that:
are clear
oozing
smell bad

Marking eggs:
pencil
crayon
sharpie

Did you candle in the dark? Here is a great candling series to show development http://www.metzerfarms.com/Candling.cfm?CustID=1216019

Domestic ducks should hatch between day 25-28 normally with late hatches sometimes going to day 30. When the duck is doing the incubation you dont count day one as the day she laid the first egg, day one is when she stops laying and starts sitting full time.

Normally a duck quacks as a warning to leave her nest alone

 

[kaumlauf]

Thank you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd like to add that since it's winter you may not get many who want to take in ducklings since it's not an easy thing to do to have ducklings inside and they'd have to keep them in until fully feathered. Ducklings can muck up a brooder pretty quick, Plus please don't surprise folks with ducklings without their permission, thats how alot of ducks end up being dumped in our lakes and ponds. It sounds nice on the outside but theres alot to know about raising ducklings and alot of folks won't want to take the time or may not have the time. Hoping it all turns out good for you and congrats on expanding your duck family, now ducks can make great mamas and hopefully you'll not have to do a thing but put out food and water and mama will take care of the rest. Just be prepared in case it doesn't work that way. Brooder on stand by with shaving, old towels feed bowls and water containers that duckling can't climb into a drown. heat lamp. Poultry vitamins. chick starter or duck starter depending on which you can get and also niacin or brewers yeast for healthy legs. You may have to put the Colonel in his own space when ducklings hatch a temp. fence down the middle of house will keep mama and ducklings safe from harassment from the drake.

 

[kaumlauf]

we would not suprise anyone with a duck gift. we have a standard adoption contract drawn up along with mandatory parenting classes and they are caseworker managed to check-up on the adoptors (I kid but barely ) I have a co-worker interested and she is researching the heck out of duck care to get ready and knows she must keep them inside. realistically about 8-10 eggs seem viable after candeling. I figure the co-worker can have all but 2 or 3 which we will keep to help the hen stay happy enough. so I guess the drake can become agressive with the ducklings and should be separated? would this be accidential or intentional? he in his own rite is really sweet too though he really likes to mate with her, but seemingly only when outside. I never saw him bother her in the pen or while on the nest but admittedly in my newness I can be nieve. can't some drakes be gentlemenly? Or is my nieveness showing? submitted by Dave, Kathe's husband who is "stealing" Kathe's thread.

 

[Miss Lydia]

we would not suprise anyone with a duck gift. we have a standard adoption contract drawn up along with mandatory parenting classes and they are caseworker managed to check-up on the adoptors (I kid but barely ) I have a co-worker interested and she is researching the heck out of duck care to get ready and knows she must keep them inside. realistically about 8-10 eggs seem viable after candeling. I figure the co-worker can have all but 2 or 3 which we will keep to help the hen stay happy enough. so I guess the drake can become agressive with the ducklings and should be separated? would this be accidential or intentional? he in his own rite is really sweet too though he really likes to mate with her, but seemingly only when outside. I never saw him bother her in the pen or while on the nest but admittedly in my newness I can be nieve. can't some drakes be gentlemenly? Or is my nieveness showing? submitted by Dave, Kathe's husband who is "stealing" Kathe's thread.

Drakes have been know to kill ducklings, when we have ducklings I don't separate but they all have plenty of room to move around and I am home most all the time so I watch like a hawk, no pun intended. You know you could just play it by ear, but I would separate during hatching, My mamas and ducklings are by them selves for a min. of 3 days before she brings them out for the rest of the flock to meet. And I know what your saying about contracts, I did it with my dachshunds when I had a few puppies and also last year when I had to have homes for a few of my ducklings, they go home with a printed out sheet on care and knowing they can come back here if it doesn't work out,. I think mama duck will appreciate having some ducklings to take care of, please let us know when the big day arrives.