jeepgoil1508
Chirping
Hello all. I am looking for a little guidance. I have a few questions. I have a female Pekin and a female Rouen who are both sitting on clutches of eggs.
DUCK #1
The Pekin's eggs started to hatch 2 days ago. So far only 4 of the eggs have hatched (and they are just the cutest-some are mixed with Khaki Campbell). She still has a number of eggs, which she dutifully sits on. How can I tell if the remaining eggs still have live chicks in them? I pulled the ducklings, because I have concern about our rooster reaching through their pen and grabbing them. Our plan is to pick up some hardware cloth and try to baby proof their area to protect them from predators. They are in the house, with a heat lamp, eating and drinking just fine. Can I leave them eating meatbird crumble, or is there a specific duckling food they should get?
DUCK#2
The Rouen's eggs I actually thought those were no longer viable. She just disappeared one day, and we thought something took her away. Our dog started sniffing around a window well, and I noticed her, on a nest, that she had broken open a cover, to lay her eggs. That window well got SO hot during our recent heat wave, and it seems like she was on the nest longer than the Pekin. Today, I noticed one of her eggs was pipping. I want to move her and her eggs into the house because I am concerned about coyotes or skunks getting to them. Her nest got raided by something a few times over the last month. She is a fairly calm duck. Is it better for me to move mom and all of the eggs into a tub inside, or just leave them where they are and pull babies when I see them? I really want to keep them from being eaten by something during the night. The Pekin laid her eggs inside of their house, so I was able to safely close them up at night, but there is just no way to do that with the Rouen, unless I move her and the nest.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this long, long post.
DUCK #1
The Pekin's eggs started to hatch 2 days ago. So far only 4 of the eggs have hatched (and they are just the cutest-some are mixed with Khaki Campbell). She still has a number of eggs, which she dutifully sits on. How can I tell if the remaining eggs still have live chicks in them? I pulled the ducklings, because I have concern about our rooster reaching through their pen and grabbing them. Our plan is to pick up some hardware cloth and try to baby proof their area to protect them from predators. They are in the house, with a heat lamp, eating and drinking just fine. Can I leave them eating meatbird crumble, or is there a specific duckling food they should get?
DUCK#2
The Rouen's eggs I actually thought those were no longer viable. She just disappeared one day, and we thought something took her away. Our dog started sniffing around a window well, and I noticed her, on a nest, that she had broken open a cover, to lay her eggs. That window well got SO hot during our recent heat wave, and it seems like she was on the nest longer than the Pekin. Today, I noticed one of her eggs was pipping. I want to move her and her eggs into the house because I am concerned about coyotes or skunks getting to them. Her nest got raided by something a few times over the last month. She is a fairly calm duck. Is it better for me to move mom and all of the eggs into a tub inside, or just leave them where they are and pull babies when I see them? I really want to keep them from being eaten by something during the night. The Pekin laid her eggs inside of their house, so I was able to safely close them up at night, but there is just no way to do that with the Rouen, unless I move her and the nest.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this long, long post.
