Getting the 2022 Hatching itch! (Ducks)

[Kholts]

Oh man! I am literally sooo anxious & excited to start hatching this year. It’s probably due to the breed I am hatching as they are super rare around my area. I will be hatching Ancona Ducks this spring!

I have been eyeballing my incubator this whole week & checking each egg I crack to see if my drake has started his duty to the gals. So far it’s hit or miss.

My ladies have been laying for 3-4 weeks already which I was super surprised about as I am in Canada & we have been locked into -40c weather for weeks. The weather finally just broke this week & we have been enjoying -4c days.

Anyways I am hoping to get a test hatch in the incubator first week of February.

Who else is getting the itch?

 

[Isadora]

Who else is getting the itch?

 

[Kholts]

Ducks, chickens? What breeds ? Tell me everything!

 

[Silkie Princess]

me too! But wishing for a broody in winter is practically the same as wishing for a snow storm in the middle of August

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Me! I'm charting out my breeding groups currently then I will start separating beginning of February. I keep my breeders separated for a full 30 days, put them on layer feed and start vitamin rounds. I collect eggs for incubation usually beginning of March so everyone hatches right when the spring grass is growing, the bugs are out and the weather is nice. Once I collect the eggs that I need my drake's and hens get separated until October so my girls don't have to suffer through the lovely Drake hormones gone crazy season. My husband says I take it way too seriously and he is probably 100% correct, but I love my ducks.

 

[Kholts]

me too! But wishing for a broody in winter is practically the same as wishing for a snow storm in the middle of August

I feel like wishing for a Broody negates having a broody.

I have 4 chickens (no roosters) in with my ducks & I was silently wishing 1 of those will go broody & adopt some duck eggs lol. Also if I got a broody duck I wouldn’t be mad lol.

 

[Kholts]

Me! I'm charting out my breeding groups currently then I will start separating beginning of February. I keep my breeders separated for a full 30 days, put them on layer feed and start vitamin rounds. I collect eggs for incubation usually beginning of March so everyone hatches right when the spring grass is growing, the bugs are out and the weather is nice. Once I collect the eggs that I need my drake's and hens get separated until October so my girls don't have to suffer through the lovely Drake hormones gone crazy season. My husband says I take it way too seriously and he is probably 100% correct, but I love my ducks.

That does sound like a serious operation lol. I’m lucky in a way that I keep a small flock (4 ducks, 1 drake) & no other breeds around. I’m a backyard keeper so I have a limit on numbers So I have no need to separate. I also end up selling hatching eggs & hatch March-august so I keep my drake with the ladies year round.

 

[Isadora]

Ducks, chickens? What breeds ? Tell me everything!

Definitely ducks. I raise pekins for meat and I'm hatching some runners out this spring for a friend.
As far as chickens go I'm not for or against it. Okay, I'm for it.

 

[Iluveggers]

Attempting my first hatch right after Easter, will be a dozen Easter Egger Eggs ironically! Will hatch in May!

 

[Ruby Rogue]

As soon as I got the notification for the Easter hatch along thing I've been itching....I really shouldn't...but...the first one to ask me to incubate for them this year gets an immediate 'YES! When can I start?'...I can't wait.