Getting Excited But A Little Nervous Too!

[gnmrk2000]

In the next week or so I am expecting to watch my first EVER hatch!!! My Pekin, Daisy, has been sitting full time for about 24 days now! I was not expecting her to go broody but WooHoo, it has happened! So, she has about 20 eggs under her and all of them could be fertile

. Can the hatching happen over the course of a few day? I read someplace that if Daisy leads the new babies out, the rest of the eggs are doomed......is that true?

Should I remove babies as they hatch, or am I supposed to leave them all in there? How long do I leave them there? Could Daisy hurt the babies while sitting on the other eggs? I thought I would be very calm about all this, but the closer it gets to hatch day, the more nervous I am getting

.

Can someone give me some possible scenarios to expect and help to calm my worries?

Also, what is the name of the "must-have" duck book that I have read so much about? I'm too pre-occupied and don't have the patience to look through the forum to find it! THIS IS SOOOOOO NERVE WRACKING

DAISY GOT MAD AT ME FOR TRYING TO TAKE HER PICTURE! I GUESS THE HORMONES ARE RAGING

 

[Rachelssmiles]

I can't tell you what to expect because I just had my first incubator hatch this last month. But I am very excited for you and miss Daisy!! I have a feeling she will do just fine. We are the ones that get all nerve wracked! Lol! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!!

 

[DuckLover3]

In the next week or so I am expecting to watch my first EVER hatch!!! My Pekin, Daisy, has been sitting full time for about 24 days now! I was not expecting her to go broody but WooHoo, it has happened! So, she has about 20 eggs under her and all of them could be fertile

. Can the hatching happen over the course of a few day? I read someplace that if Daisy leads the new babies out, the rest of the eggs are doomed......is that true?

Should I remove babies as they hatch, or am I supposed to leave them all in there? How long do I leave them there? Could Daisy hurt the babies while sitting on the other eggs? I thought I would be very calm about all this, but the closer it gets to hatch day, the more nervous I am getting

.

Can someone give me some possible scenarios to expect and help to calm my worries?

Also, what is the name of the "must-have" duck book that I have read so much about? I'm too pre-occupied and don't have the patience to look through the forum to find it! THIS IS SOOOOOO NERVE WRACKING

DAISY GOT MAD AT ME FOR TRYING TO TAKE HER PICTURE! I GUESS THE HORMONES ARE RAGING

One of my ducks just started setting a few days ago, so I'm the same boat. I am also wondering if I should remove the babies as they hatch, because I've read that Khakis tend to kill their babies. (Mama duck's a Khaki/Rouen mix) Also, I'm a little confused about what people are saying about Khakis not going broody. I've heard some people say that they're useless when it comes to setting, and that they'll just set for a couple days and then get bored and stop; but other people are saying that they're good broodies, but terrible mothers.....Which one is true? Also, if I did take the babies away, should I wait till they all hatched, or should I take them as they hatch....Or if I did the latter, would Mama abandon the nest? She has about 15 eggs right now, and has been a very diligent setter, just get getting up long enough to drink, take a quick dip in the pond, and then go back to her nest. If she's this good now, should I chance it and let her keep the ducklings? Oh, and here's a pic of her; her name is Ana.

 

[Going Quackers]

I only have Muscovy but i am on the second bird with hatching... I left the babies with mum, put in special feed/water bowls so they could reach and penned her & the young, so none of the other birds can bother them.

I have to admit i haven't been super successful here but i think that is just how the dice rolls.. my first duck only got one live duckling.. the other two ... one died, the other never fully made it out of the shell... the live duckling however is now 4wks(tomorrow) and doing wonderfully it and mum now free range with the rest of the flock.

Onto nest two, Lilac hatched one baby on MOnday, and is still sitting on 3 more eggs... sadly the duckling died today.. no idea why and no clue on the status of the other eggs. My girls are all young though and this is there first times sitting nests so i bet that plays a role somewhat.. plus because i have a community style barn... the hens have played a lot of bouncing nests and the eggs may or may not necessarily all belong to them.

So that is my experience, this is not for the faint of heart that's for sure!

 

[Going Quackers]

Storey's guide to ducks! sorry forgot that part.

 

[gnmrk2000]

So I looked in on the nest this morning while Daisy was bathing. She has the eggs COMPLETELY covered with straw and feathers so I cannot see them at all

. Will she uncover them as hatch day approaches (any where from 1-6 days from now)? I am trying so hard to resist touching anything but its SOOOOO HARD

. I still want to know if I should remove babies as they hatch or if I am supposed to leave them where they are!

 

[Going Quackers]

So I looked in on the nest this morning while Daisy was bathing. She has the eggs COMPLETELY covered with straw and feathers so I cannot see them at all

. Will she uncover them as hatch day approaches (any where from 1-6 days from now)? I am trying so hard to resist touching anything but its SOOOOO HARD

. I still want to know if I should remove babies as they hatch or if I am supposed to leave them where they are!

She'll cover them if she leaves to keep them protected and warm... quite normal and good actually.. just annoying for us lol