July Hatch-a-Long (including 4th of July hatch-a-long)

[FortCluck]

I've filled the 42 egg incubator at least 4 times and have enough eggs to fill it 1 more time.

I won’t even say anything

 

[FortCluck]

OMG AND I THOUGHT I WAS BAD

You’ve only hatched twice

 

[igorsMistress]

Good morning all. I'm a little bit My eggs were supposed to ship Monday but they didn't until yesterday The good news is hubs didn't realize the incubator is running. He has no idea I bought these eggs, hopefully I'll just get a headshake and not a bunch of flack.

@KDOGG331 you could have used the time your gal was off the nest to mark the eggs you're going to let her hatch. When you see her out and about do it then so you don't freak that poor girl out!

 

[kelseyk]

Kicking myself so hard today....so mad at myself right now! I was not thinking straight at all all day yesterday as I have not been sleeping well and we had gotten up early (around 5:30 am) to go down to the pasture and load up an empty stock tank to bring back up to the house and let the kids use it as a pool. Anyway, I candled my eggs ending with the call duck eggs and then decided to spritz them with water and let then use the cooling period to let them dry so they would not spike the humidity in my incubator. Came upstairs and had to make DH a lunch as he was going to be doing field work over the lunch hour and then got preoccupied sending photos from my phone to the computer so I can file my USPS claim on the Bress eggs and one task led to another.....and I forgot about putting the call duck eggs back into the incubator. They sat out for almost 12 hours. I did stick them back in as soon as I remembered just in case of a miracle, but not too hopeful. I guess call ducks just aren't meant to be this year. I really cannot believe that I did that! Guess there is a first time for everything and you just hope you learn from the mistake so it doesn't happen again.

 

[Vantic]

They sat out for almost 12 hours. I did stick them back in as soon as I remembered just in case of a miracle, but not too hopeful. I guess call ducks just aren't meant to be this year. I really cannot believe that I did that! Guess there is a first time for everything and you just hope you learn from the mistake so it doesn't happen again.

I'm sorry to hear that, we all get distracted. I have my fingers crossed that you have some that are stronger than a 12 hour cooldown.

 

[StormsnSaugeye]

Oh, right so I posted a thread about this but I'll give a quick rundown because I'm now in the hatchalong status due to events from last night.
I went out to a favorite spot to watch the sunset and this lady was holding a little duckling. After talking to her for a few she indicated that while they were fishing this duckling came running up to them. Well, I mentioned that it could have been an abandoned duckling that someone turned loose. But upon closer inspection, I saw the duckling had its egg tooth still. The lady indicated it came running over from a nearby nest but there was no mamma duck on the nest. After some discussion I decided to look at the nest to see if there was any signs about what was going on. The nest was intact but one egg was opened. No signs of a struggle. Nothing. We talked for a while and she tried to get the duckling to follow a few grown ducks that were eating but had no luck. So I advised we all give the nest a fair bit of space and keep an eye out. After about 2 hours or so there was no sign of ducks returning to the nest which was worrying. So I eventually decided to approach and see what the story was.
Well I did a quick candling and found one internal pip egg and another externally pipped. Both chicks were active as well. So that was a good sign. But the other two eggs showed no motion or anything. Which could mean that they were dead. After more discussion the lady decided to keep the duckling as it seemed to be imprinted on her and was following her around.


Since the sun was setting and it was beginning to get cooler (Last night temperature was 65) and there was no sign of a parent duck returning even after now 3 hours, I decided to just bite the bullet. So I currently have two near ready to hatch eggs in my incubator. This morning signs of potential zipping was seen on the externally pipped eggs and a larger hole had appeared.

If I had to speculate, a raccoon disturbed the duck in the late hours of the night or early morning and as a result the duck abandoned. But one chick was hatching and thus had sat on the nest alone for the day until the lady and her kids wandered by.

I had figured that my duck raising for the year was over since I had already incubated meatball and handed it off to my youngest niece but... well here we are.
2 ducklings. either about to hatch or currently hatching. I suspect pekin or general mixed breed of feral domesticated since the duckling that was found was pure yellow and thus not a mallard.

Thankfully this isn't my first rodeo. I occasionally rehab injured or abandoned animals for people.
Since I live on a lake, it's not uncommon for people to get a duckling from TSC raise it for a little while, then turn it out on the lake thinking that it being on the water will be perfect. Not knowing that ducks are social animals and an unprotected chick will quickly be attacked by wildlife or injured.
Earlier in the season I had just that happen. Someone got ahold of me and told me they saw this family turn out a small duckling that was running around and crying. So I raised it for a few weeks then got in touch with an amish family and gifted it to them.

I obviously have my gripes about that whole matter. No pictures right now. I made the call at 10pm last night to save the two viable eggs and the lady took the yellow duckling home with her. If the first one hatches when I get home from work I'll post pictures then.


Seriously I was not expecting this. I only really stay active when I'm actively engaged in a hatch or rearing. Otherwise my hermit nature prevails.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Kicking myself so hard today....so mad at myself right now! I was not thinking straight at all all day yesterday as I have not been sleeping well and we had gotten up early (around 5:30 am) to go down to the pasture and load up an empty stock tank to bring back up to the house and let the kids use it as a pool. Anyway, I candled my eggs ending with the call duck eggs and then decided to spritz them with water and let then use the cooling period to let them dry so they would not spike the humidity in my incubator. Came upstairs and had to make DH a lunch as he was going to be doing field work over the lunch hour and then got preoccupied sending photos from my phone to the computer so I can file my USPS claim on the Bress eggs and one task led to another.....and I forgot about putting the call duck eggs back into the incubator. They sat out for almost 12 hours. I did stick them back in as soon as I remembered just in case of a miracle, but not too hopeful. I guess call ducks just aren't meant to be this year. I really cannot believe that I did that! Guess there is a first time for everything and you just hope you learn from the mistake so it doesn't happen again.

 

[chickiebaby1]

Has anyone had trouble seeing inside their beilefelder eggs. I candles mine last night (day7) and really couldn’t see much. The shells are kind of dark. I didn’t pull any yet will wait and try again on day 10. Just wondering if anyone else had this trouble.

 

[igorsMistress]

Kicking myself so hard today....so mad at myself right now! I was not thinking straight at all all day yesterday as I have not been sleeping well and we had gotten up early (around 5:30 am) to go down to the pasture and load up an empty stock tank to bring back up to the house and let the kids use it as a pool. Anyway, I candled my eggs ending with the call duck eggs and then decided to spritz them with water and let then use the cooling period to let them dry so they would not spike the humidity in my incubator. Came upstairs and had to make DH a lunch as he was going to be doing field work over the lunch hour and then got preoccupied sending photos from my phone to the computer so I can file my USPS claim on the Bress eggs and one task led to another.....and I forgot about putting the call duck eggs back into the incubator. They sat out for almost 12 hours. I did stick them back in as soon as I remembered just in case of a miracle, but not too hopeful. I guess call ducks just aren't meant to be this year. I really cannot believe that I did that! Guess there is a first time for everything and you just hope you learn from the mistake so it doesn't happen again.

Awe, that sucks. I hope you get a miracle and they're ok!

 

[igorsMistress]

Oh, right so I posted a thread about this but I'll give a quick rundown because I'm now in the hatchalong status due to events from last night.
I went out to a favorite spot to watch the sunset and this lady was holding a little duckling. After talking to her for a few she indicated that while they were fishing this duckling came running up to them. Well, I mentioned that it could have been an abandoned duckling that someone turned loose. But upon closer inspection, I saw the duckling had its egg tooth still. The lady indicated it came running over from a nearby nest but there was no mamma duck on the nest. After some discussion I decided to look at the nest to see if there was any signs about what was going on. The nest was intact but one egg was opened. No signs of a struggle. Nothing. We talked for a while and she tried to get the duckling to follow a few grown ducks that were eating but had no luck. So I advised we all give the nest a fair bit of space and keep an eye out. After about 2 hours or so there was no sign of ducks returning to the nest which was worrying. So I eventually decided to approach and see what the story was.
Well I did a quick candling and found one internal pip egg and another externally pipped. Both chicks were active as well. So that was a good sign. But the other two eggs showed no motion or anything. Which could mean that they were dead. After more discussion the lady decided to keep the duckling as it seemed to be imprinted on her and was following her around.


Since the sun was setting and it was beginning to get cooler (Last night temperature was 65) and there was no sign of a parent duck returning even after now 3 hours, I decided to just bite the bullet. So I currently have two near ready to hatch eggs in my incubator. This morning signs of potential zipping was seen on the externally pipped eggs and a larger hole had appeared.

If I had to speculate, a raccoon disturbed the duck in the late hours of the night or early morning and as a result the duck abandoned. But one chick was hatching and thus had sat on the nest alone for the day until the lady and her kids wandered by.

I had figured that my duck raising for the year was over since I had already incubated meatball and handed it off to my youngest niece but... well here we are.
2 ducklings. either about to hatch or currently hatching. I suspect pekin or general mixed breed of feral domesticated since the duckling that was found was pure yellow and thus not a mallard.

Thankfully this isn't my first rodeo. I occasionally rehab injured or abandoned animals for people.
Since I live on a lake, it's not uncommon for people to get a duckling from TSC raise it for a little while, then turn it out on the lake thinking that it being on the water will be perfect. Not knowing that ducks are social animals and an unprotected chick will quickly be attacked by wildlife or injured.
Earlier in the season I had just that happen. Someone got ahold of me and told me they saw this family turn out a small duckling that was running around and crying. So I raised it for a few weeks then got in touch with an amish family and gifted it to them.

I obviously have my gripes about that whole matter. No pictures right now. I made the call at 10pm last night to save the two viable eggs and the lady took the yellow duckling home with her. If the first one hatches when I get home from work I'll post pictures then.


Seriously I was not expecting this. I only really stay active when I'm actively engaged in a hatch or rearing. Otherwise my hermit nature prevails.

You're an awesome person for rescuing the eggs. BIG