Hatching Eggs

[Canadian Wind]

*sigh* So the four 'hens' I got turned out to be two hens and two drakes. So that means eight drakes and five hens. NOT GOOD! These are the mallard-derived ducks, not the Muscovy.

Solution? Tomorrow I pick up two dozen Welsh Harlequin eggs to hatch out! Yes, you read that right. Two DOZEN. 24. If figure that with this amount, I'm guaranteed a few hens, right? Right?!? And since they can be sexed as hatchlings, I'll know exactly what I have right away! I also figure that even if they don't all hatch, even if it's only 50%, I'll still get the hens I want/need.

I know it's getting late in the season for it, but we usually have decent weather here, during the day, until late October and sometimes beyond. They should be feathered out by then.

Just had to share.

 

[casportpony]

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Canadian Wind]

Good luck with your hatch!

Oh, I'm sure I'll keep everyone well informed and annoyed with my attempts! LOL!

 

[casportpony]

Oh, I'm sure I'll keep everyone well informed and annoyed with my attempts! LOL!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I'll know exactly what I have right away!

But you already know exactly what you have right now.

What will you do with all the extra drakes that hatch?

Whu not just buy sexed duckling already.. maybe Metzer is able to export to Canada.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Good luck with telling them apart as hatchlings. I just hatched some a few months ago and it was weeks before they looked different.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

They are the 6 littles, can you sex them?

 

[Canadian Wind]

But you already know exactly what you have right now.

What will you do with all the extra drakes that hatch?

Whu not just buy sexed duckling already.. maybe Metzer is able to export to Canada.

Metzer would be way too expensive. I'm not working right now and have very limited funds. I'm able to get these eggs for $10, plus my gas and travel time.

The extra will probably end up at Freezer Camp. It's the reality of running a homestead withthe goal of becoming self-sufficient.

Main reason I chose the Welsh Harlequins is for egg production, plus that I like their looks.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Good luck with telling them apart as hatchlings. I just hatched some a few months ago and it was weeks before they looked different.

Really? Wow.

'As day olds, sex can be determined based on bill colour with over 90% accuracy. Young drakes will have darker bills while female with have lighter with a dark spot at the tip of the bill.'

This is what I was basing it on. I can't really tell from your picture, since they're facing away and it's a bit blurry. They are all adorable, though?

Worse comes to worse, I raise them until I can tell, then go from there. Thanks for the heads up!

 

[BabyGotQuack]

it’s based off their bills so we’d need a close up