So out of the 24 eggs I started with, I am ending with 8 very healthy ducklings.
6 pekins, and 2 mallards.
I am a little sad about the mallards, we started with 12 eggs from the carolina biological supply company. 6 made it to lock down. I had 2 hatch fully, 3 that never pipped, and 1 that pipped zipped, but for whatever reason...never made it out...Im really sad about this baby. I was here at noon to check on the babies, I had one new hatch and that little guy had pipped and was starting to zip. Could see his little bill, and he was breathing and chirping. When I came back at 6 to put him in the incubator...he was fully zipped but wasnt moving or chirping. I picked up the egg and I could see his little eye through the hole...he was not moving, so i pulled apart the egg hoping that I wasnt too late, but I was. I dont know what happened. He had come so far. When i picked up the egg there was a brownish fluid that was leaking out of it...and after looking at him, his tummy was really distended. His egg looked a lot more blood than the other babies did. I wish I knew what happend to this guy. It is not a total loss for him though. One of the science teachers is going to preserve him in a jar. So that is kinda cool. I wish I had more than 2 mallards though...I wont go through a supply company again. I ll stick to getting eggs from you guys. Oh well I guess. Im pretty sure the 6 other eggs (3 pekin and 3 mallard) are gone. I see no movement and below the egg sack is no longer veiny just yellowish and dark at the bottom. Ill leave them in the bator til wednesday just to make sure. I guess I should be glad the kiddos werent here for that baby dying...
All in all though I'm really happy and glad this whole hatch thing is over! Whew! Anyways, heres the individual pictures of all 8 babies in order of appearance as best as I can guess, and one group shot. We will be naming them tomorrow.
Baby #1, October 29
Baby #2, October 29
Baby #3, October 29
Baby #4, October 30 AM
Baby #5, October 30 PM
Baby #6, October 30 PM
Baby #7, October 31
Baby #8, November 1
And all together...
6 pekins, and 2 mallards.
I am a little sad about the mallards, we started with 12 eggs from the carolina biological supply company. 6 made it to lock down. I had 2 hatch fully, 3 that never pipped, and 1 that pipped zipped, but for whatever reason...never made it out...Im really sad about this baby. I was here at noon to check on the babies, I had one new hatch and that little guy had pipped and was starting to zip. Could see his little bill, and he was breathing and chirping. When I came back at 6 to put him in the incubator...he was fully zipped but wasnt moving or chirping. I picked up the egg and I could see his little eye through the hole...he was not moving, so i pulled apart the egg hoping that I wasnt too late, but I was. I dont know what happened. He had come so far. When i picked up the egg there was a brownish fluid that was leaking out of it...and after looking at him, his tummy was really distended. His egg looked a lot more blood than the other babies did. I wish I knew what happend to this guy. It is not a total loss for him though. One of the science teachers is going to preserve him in a jar. So that is kinda cool. I wish I had more than 2 mallards though...I wont go through a supply company again. I ll stick to getting eggs from you guys. Oh well I guess. Im pretty sure the 6 other eggs (3 pekin and 3 mallard) are gone. I see no movement and below the egg sack is no longer veiny just yellowish and dark at the bottom. Ill leave them in the bator til wednesday just to make sure. I guess I should be glad the kiddos werent here for that baby dying...
All in all though I'm really happy and glad this whole hatch thing is over! Whew! Anyways, heres the individual pictures of all 8 babies in order of appearance as best as I can guess, and one group shot. We will be naming them tomorrow.
Baby #1, October 29

Baby #2, October 29

Baby #3, October 29

Baby #4, October 30 AM

Baby #5, October 30 PM

Baby #6, October 30 PM

Baby #7, October 31

Baby #8, November 1

And all together...
