FunnyBunnies12(Missy) Duckling Thread!

[katharinad]

I did check with my book on vitamin deficiencies in eggs and embryos, and most of the time they do not make it past day 20 in the incubation. This mean they should not make it to term in the first place.
Vitamin A + E deficiencies can make it to term, but do not cause deformities. They are linked to respiratory and circulatory problems.
Vitamin D deficiencies can also make it to term, but you end up with soft rubber type bones and not deformities.
The hole vitamin B group (including niacin) deficiencies are related to bone deformities and neurological issues, and do result in death before day 20.
Freak deformities to one leg, one wing or neck can happen due to wrong position inside of the egg, or lack of egg turning. They are very rare and should never happen to two eggs in the same hatch.
See that put it back to genetics.
Lets see what happens to the rest of the eggs. If you end up with another one than that is enough proof to the genetic question.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

Sounds logical, just thought I'd throw that idea out there. #18 has started rocking and peeping a tiny bit, we are end of day 27, so we shall see! #16 is still quiet, but I'm almost sure I heard a tiny peep when I was listening to it with the stethoscope, and NOPE I did not candle them, just listened. I only candled 13 when it cooled quicker and all I was hearing was nothing.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

My bad, my bad....But curiousity killed this cat and hopefully not the ducklings which I am in high doubt without external pipping otherwise I wouldn't have done this, but I did candle them, but not with my candler I normally use but with the led light flashlight just to see where they were, and quickly, one's airsac is quite long, #16 and it's yolk is almost absorbed but I can see yellowish orange and I can see it breathing or a beating heart, and it did move a little and it's in the air sac. The other one #18, even though it slightly rocked, I can't really see much movement but it is in the air sac but I see more yolk in there that hasn't been absorbed yet. So, temp is remaining steady as well as the humidity remaining steady at around 80% even for opening it quickly. Tomorrow is day 28, hopefully when I wake up in the morning I will see one or the other, better yet both externally pipping. I'm just a bit concerned and wondering why these two came so early, and the last 2 I can't say are late, but taking their time. Another waiting game..........

 

[desertdarlene]

I think those two are going to hatch. Sorry to hear about 13.

 

[katharinad]

My last hatch went over 3 days. It's normal. It's just like kids they all grow at different rates. Even if they are twins. I would suggest to pip them if they have chirped or rocked 24 hours ago. I usually don't like to do that, but you are having issues so it may be a good idea. You don't shrink wrap them doing it. The shrink wrapping applies when you have piped ones and you open the hatcher.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

I'm going to give them overnight tonight and if I wake up and still nothing, I'm going to quick do another candle with the led light flash light so I know where their head is so I don't poke them and make them bleed, and tomorrow afternoon about 2-3ishpm EST will be 24hrs from when the one did rock a bit and chirp. So pipping them gets them stimulated to finish the rest?? I thought with all the bumping and knocking and rolling it would get these 2 going by now. But yes, after this and depending on what mom does outside, which btw I'll have a question about that, I will not allow eggs to develope........

Now to the question about Momma, obviously she is due by next weekend with her batch of eggs, I candled them today when she took a break and everyone looks to be developing very nicely. But finding out with the last 3 ducklings, they are coming usually on the 26th day, but I'm guessing her ducklings will be hatching some time at the earliest Thursday or Friday, but it's getting cooler out and I'm not sure if I'd be doing more harm then good. But it comes back to moving her and the ducklings/eggs to a warmer spot. Should I move her and the eggs before they hatch and hope she will sit on them, I plan on bringing the dog igloo into where ever I move her so that her nest is not disturbed and her scent and surroundings remain the same. Or should I move her and the ducklings when they hatch?? We had our 1st frost advisory, so it's getting that cold. Next week it's suppose to only be in the high 50's lower 60's and lows mid upper 30's to lower 40's. What do you think I should do?? I know it's a crap shoot, 50/50 she will continue to lay or not. But she is so devoted that I almost think she will go back to laying on them as long as I keep her nest as is and not move the eggs somewhere else, only her territory. KWIM? And should I move her to the garage, it's still cool but what wattage should I put out there with her?

 

[katharinad]

The piping allows air to get in so they do not suffocate. It does not help zipping along. So you will still have to see what they do after that.
As for momma duck. I don't think she can take care of them outside in the cold once they hatch. They may move out of the nest and can chill to death. I would take the eggs when they are due for lock down and move them into the hatcher and hatch them indoors. I feel that gives the ducklings a better chance to start their live. She will be fine without them. Taken them may stop her from being broody. It does that a lot in nature when predators eat the eggs. She will probably continue to lay, but there is nothing to sit on if you remove them daily. She can see that and should not sit on an empty nest. She may for a few days, but eventually gets the point and moves on. Man I hope that you don't have any more deformed babies. It is so depressing. I'm glad that you have two that are doing well. Keeps the kids occupied and takes their minds off the losses.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

What if I set up the Genesis tomorrow and got it to temp/humidity and put them in there for the next 5-6 days so they will get turning, or better yet if these two do hatch by Monday, keeping it on and change the dirty water to clean andf then taking them before lock down but turn them 3X a day since on Monday I'm guessing they will be approximately on day 22 from when I did notice mom go FT broody. Either way it will be day 22 or 23. I noticed she had the broody tendencies on the 26th, but went FT none stop on the 27th. On the 26th of September she left her nest like twice, but Monday it was full force broody! So I'm taking Monday as the 1st day of incubation for momma. That might just work, because then mom and dad can still be together instead of me having to separate them in fear dad will kill them.

 

[katharinad]

I would not do that. Momma duck has a rythm these eggs are used to. Take them when it is time for lock down.

 

[FunnyBunnies12]

That is the thing, i'm not entirely sure if I should lock down Wednesday or Thursday, there is one egg that looks like it is definitely going to be an early bird, to the point I'm almost that it will pip on Wednesday, the air sac is bigger, and the edging of it looks like there is a slight egg tooth poking through, not poking but stretching the membrane, and it's like "No way are you ready to pip yet". All these other babies have had to be put into lock down on the 25th day. So I am going to aim for lock down on Wednesday. What do you think?

Also, currently as I type this it is 7am. and there is still no external pip on 18, but I do hear it chirp but the chirp isn't as strong as I feel it should be, but it might just be the duck, maybe it's a drake, LOL. But it's been approximately 15-16hrs from the 1st official rock/chirp, it was close to 2pm yesterday when I saw/hear that was just before I opened up 13. So I'm going by that time. However there is an dark area that was there yesterday that was smaller, and today it's gotten bigger, so I think it's trying to do something and scratching. Should I wait until noon to pip it, or try sooner?? I admit, I'm terribly nervous doing it. I know that if they can do it on their own it is far better for them and just proves their strength and ability. 16 hasnt' chirped or rocked at all. So I'm nervous about that one. But my duckling the blonde one really didn't chirp or rock a lot, the brown one did and the brown one pipped before the blonde but was the last one to be born 5hrs later then the blonde. So it just may surprise me.