Incubation progress of Muscovy eggs

[AnimalQuackers]

I think it'll be easier to eat ones that momma raises. Don't name or play with the ones you intend to butcher.

I agree with Subhanalah - at least for me. When we got these chickens last spring, I thought it would not be hard to eat them when they stop laying - we got them for eggs, but figured when they stop laying we could eat them. But if you name them, they become pets. I *SAY* I might be able to eat them, but when the time comes, I am not so sure I could do it...I just don't know!

My dad also raised chickens, ducks, and rabbits to eat when he was a kid. He wouldn't let us do anything of the sort when we were kids - I think to him, if you had to "grow" your own food it meant you could not afford to buy your own, and he didn't want anyone to think we were "poor." We couldn't even have a vegetable garden! Funny to think that we were probably thus ingesting tons and tons of chemicals we wouldn't have had we "grown" our own food. My father died 5 years ago at the age of 76 from complications of Parkinson's Disease...which they say MY be caused by environmental chemicals. It always makes me think...

 

[AnimalQuackers]

Neither of us can can do the deed and I breaks my heart when I sell an adult to someone that's going to eat them, but I did recently eat one that a hawk killed... She was still warm when I found her and no damage was done to her intestines, so why not, right?

-Kathy

I agree with you, Kathy. You were nourished by her - her life had meaning and her death was not in vain.

 

[AnimalQuackers]

When are the next ones due to hatch? Hows lil Al doing by the way?

13, 14 and 15 are in lockdown, but I really think they are dead. No movement or sound. 13 is on day 35 (Mark drilled a safe hole this AM), 14 on 34, and 15 on 33. The next "group," A-I, were all set the same day - January 29. Thinking I will put them in lockdown at day 32 (do you all agree?) on March 2.

 

[AnimalQuackers]

When are the next ones due to hatch? Hows lil Al doing by the way?

Oops - Sorry! Forgot to answer about Al. OH MY GOD I am SMITTEN with that little one! He's doing well, I think. I think Lori was right that he was just weak, because he seems to be doing much better now, walking with the best of them!

Question: Is it OK to give them SMALL amounts of vegetables? Today, I shred some carrots and kale to give the chickens and Mama and Daddy ducks, and took four lttle "strings" of kale and carrot and gave them to the ducklings. They LOVED them. I don't want to overload them with things other than what they are supposed to be eating, but do you think a could "strings" a day is OK?

Also - We feed the ducks and chickens fermented feed. Do you think we could ferment the chick starter and offer it to the little ones?

 

[casportpony]

I would feed them nothing but crumbles.

-Kathy

 

[Miss Lydia]

OMG, that's sooo gross, why can't they just eat a worm. LOL

One time I was out lifting large rocks up looking for worms with the worm patrol[ducks] and a Copper head snake was under one, my Muscovy duck snatched that snake up and ate it before I could stop her I was so afraid she'd die since they are poisonous this one was about 8-9" long but after I called many places including vets and no one could tell me, she was fine. Sure scared me though. I didn't even think that it could have bitten me or one of the ducks, I was so freaked out she got it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I feed FF too and used Flock Raiser on my chicks and ducklings and they ate it fermented from the day they started eating, so I'd say chick feed would be fine fermented. But unless they have grit they shouldn't have any other food except their started or all flock. they have no way to chew it up that's the reason for giving grit

 

[casportpony]

One time I was out lifting large rocks up looking for worms with the worm patrol[ducks] and a Copper head snake was under one, my Muscovy duck snatched that snake up and ate it before I could stop her I was so afraid she'd die since they are poisonous this one was about 8-9" long but after I called many places including vets and no one could tell me, she was fine. Sure scared me though. I didn't even think that it could have bitten me or one of the ducks, I was so freaked out she got it.

OMG, that's the sort of thing that would give me a serious anxiety attack... I would be so worried that my bird would die and the time waiting to see would make me ill!

-Kathy

 

[AnimalQuackers]

OMG, that's the sort of thing that would give me a serious anxiety attack... I would be so worried that my bird would die and the time waiting to see would make me ill!

-Kathy

DITTO!

 

[AnimalQuackers]

I feed FF too and used Flock Raiser on my chicks and ducklings and they ate it fermented form the day they started eating, so I'd say chick feed would be fine fermented. But unless they have grit they shouldn't have any other food except their started or all flock. they have no way to chew it up that's the reason for giving grit

Good to know! I will put some in to ferment today!