Hatching call ducklings

[oliverj102]

hi there,

I've got a pair of call ducks with mummy sat on 7 eggs just now. At least 3 are fertile as she payed 2 different nests over a week and I combined them.

I read that call ducks are a 26 day hatching time so I've left mummy to it but I don't want her to hatch all 7 in the nest. The reason being last time she had ducklings we lost half to them flattening them.

I reckon she is almost there as it's currently day 23, she is very loyal to sitting on the eggs and when I candled them they are all dark inside. No light passes a through them.

Every morning she leaves the nest for breakfast and that's the only time she is happy for me to check her nest. I'm wanting to remove them at the last moment so they can hatch naturally but won't all bond with mummy.

How close to day 26 do I have to be to do this? I dont have an incubator so they have to be fully developed. Will I hear them inside the egg the day before they appear?

My children are very excited for them but it was crushing to have 3 killed by the parents and explain it to a 2 year old... so this time we want to hand raise some so the children can learn.

Any help would be great as I'm getting very close to H-day and don't want to miss my chance!

Thanks

 

[Pyxis]

If you don't have an incubator, you can't take them until they are hatched because otherwise you'll have no way to hatch them. Best thing to do is just pay attention on Day 26 and start taking them out from under her as they hatch and transferring them to a brooder.

 

[oliverj102]

Yea that was what I thought. As she has to increase himidity at the end... I'm assuming I start the 26 day timer once the final egg is in the nest and being sat on.

Will they hatch during the day or can it be any time? And once one hatches can they all come out as they should all be hatching together?

 

[Pyxis]

I'm assuming I start the 26 day timer once the final egg is in the nest and being sat on

I'm a little confused by this part, if she's on day 23 all the eggs should already be in the nest being sat on? Day 26 will be the 26th day she's been sitting on the eggs. Don't count the first day as day 1, count it as day 0, and then go from there to calculate when day 26 is.

They won't necessarily all get out of the egg at the same time. They might all hatch over a period of a day or so. Take the ones that are completely hatched and out of the egg from her as they hatch, don't take any that are still in the egg working on hatching.