Jan./Feb. 2014 hatch a long

[ChocolateMouse]

Oooh, someone has clearly never watched Babe and heard Ferdinand the Duck talking about how "Christmas means carnage!" because they eat ducks on Christmas! ;D Yep, duck is expensive because they can't be raised in tiny cages like chickens so well, but very good! I honestly don't like duck eggs... But some people love them! I do like duck meat, though! Delicious and crispy Mmm!

I can't say I would eat a little call duck. XD Call ducks serve a purpose too, though! They were bred for hunters to use as decoys! The female call ducks were loud and would be released onto a lake to call to all the local wild ducks. Then the hunter would shoot the wild ducks for dinner. Hence the name "Call Duck". Cause they'd call the other ducks in! (Call duck bring ALL the boys to the yard!) But in general they're raised as pets and would be about as good for making a meal as a bantam silkie or some such! XP

 

[dolfi]

The vet said my sheep is due today (he came yesterday) so excited!!!

any baby yet

 

[SilkieSensation]

Oooh, someone has clearly never watched Babe and heard Ferdinand the Duck talking about how "Christmas means carnage!" because they eat ducks on Christmas! ;D Yep, duck is expensive because they can't be raised in tiny cages like chickens so well, but very good! I honestly don't like duck eggs... But some people love them! I do like duck meat, though! Delicious and crispy Mmm!

I can't say I would eat a little call duck. XD Call ducks serve a purpose too, though! They were bred for hunters to use as decoys! The female call ducks were loud and would be released onto a lake to call to all the local wild ducks. Then the hunter would shoot the wild ducks for dinner. Hence the name "Call Duck". Cause they'd call the other ducks in! (Call duck bring ALL the boys to the yard!) But in general they're raised as pets and would be about as good for making a meal as a bantam silkie or some such! XP

I love my call ducks! My little drake weighs in at 1.06 pounds. Itty bitty duckies. A pekin is bigger than a full grown call by 3 weeks of age. My kids carry my calls all over. I keep mine in a large rabbit-style cage up off the ground especially during breeding season. They are especially good at hiding eggs (& themselves) because they are so tiny. Most of my bantam chickens are bigger! As for their eggs, they could easily pass for a chicken egg. They are very close in color & size to the blue/green eggs my EE's lay. They are much richer in flavor & have a bit firmer texture when fried.
I also raise Anconas. They are similar in size to my large fowl roosters & lay huge eggs. You can substitute 1 of their eggs for 2 medium chicken eggs in a recipe & leave the vanilla out if the recipe calls for vanilla as they are extremely rich. Anconas are big enough to serve as a meat bird, but I don't eat them because I'm breeding them to help preserve this rare breed.

Pekins & muscovies make excellent meat birds & are fabulous layers. Khaki campbells are known for their laying capscity & often out lay chickens. There are many breeds in different shapes & sizes. Some are better for meat, some are great for eggs, some make great dual purpose birds & some are really just for show...but all are absolutely adorable as babies.
Only draw back to ducks, they use much more water than chickens & tend to soak everything around them when bathing. As long as you are set up & prepared with an area they can soak they are fine.

 

[LadyCluck77]

It looks like all of my eggs were infertile. I candled today, day 7, and all I can see is the yolk, no spots with veins. I'm going to open one up. If it's infertile, will it just look like a plain egg?

My rooster seems to only be breeding one hen out of eight. She's a cuckoo marans and he's a brown leghorn. I didn't set any of her eggs though.

 

[Raider Mann]

We have lift off Houston!

7 of 17 have hatched since 2:00am with 3 more pipped.. pictures to follow.

 

[Raider Mann]

 

[AmericanMom]

Yay!!!!!!

 

[AmericanMom]

I'm holding off lockdown until tonight instead of this morning like I planned...Candled the eggs and some look ready but need to lose a touch more on the air cell, I forgot that we had lost power that one day and temps ran on the lower side, so thinking one day behind... Not to worried that I couldn't see much if any movement because those little buggers have filled the shells very well... I know I can wait until I have an internal pip but got a full day tomorrow away from the house so lockdown will start at 9 pm my time tonight.. (as late as I can to make sure humidity is stable before going to bed)

Removed an obvious quitter (day 10 or 11) that I must have missed... 25 left

 

[Heidisgran]

congrats!! to all new hatchlings

 

[chickydee64]

Welcome.........................

Congratulations on your hatch.little beauties.....................