So, I incubated 12 duck eggs. For a host of reasons (mostly infertiles), I had just two successful hatchings of Pekins. In spite of a covered brooder, with a heat plate, indoors (well, in my RV) last night when temps hit low 40s, one of the ducklings quietly passed about 4" from the heat plate. No signs of injury or illness, funny poops, etc. The "great unknowable". Yesterday, the duck had navigated to food and water fine, spent most of its time by the plate, but was clearly mobile and self directed.
That leaves me with a single 3 day old duckling. All my other birds are much larger (4 wk old chicks are the closest in size/age) who have already been moved outside. And while I have a pair of broody ducks sitting outside on a clutch, they made it in a hay bale - its a long ways down. and cold for an unfeathered bird. and in addition to rejection worries, the two ducks have been individually less than attentive - only in combination (plus the efforts of a single chicken) has the nest been kept mostly covered, most of the time.
Any advice?
That leaves me with a single 3 day old duckling. All my other birds are much larger (4 wk old chicks are the closest in size/age) who have already been moved outside. And while I have a pair of broody ducks sitting outside on a clutch, they made it in a hay bale - its a long ways down. and cold for an unfeathered bird. and in addition to rejection worries, the two ducks have been individually less than attentive - only in combination (plus the efforts of a single chicken) has the nest been kept mostly covered, most of the time.
Any advice?
Like lime juice for the tequila. Light salt around the rim.
