Just got my e-mail from Holderreads! 6 week update, bottom pg.8

[Sweetfolly]

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You're lucky that you're so close to them - most of the rest of us are worried about our ducklings surviving the trip all the way across the country!

I'm starting to get very excited about what breeds I'll get in my "Bargain Assortment"! I was actually hoping they'd throw in some Khaki Campbells, because I'd like a drake to breed to my Dark Campbell hens to make sex-linked ducklings!

 

[FrenchHen]

they're wonderful folks and they have beautiful birds.

I have an order in for two assorted geese and 6 assorted runners.

)

 

[1lpoock]

I JUST GOT THE E-MAIL!!!

They said my ducklings and goslings will be shipped the week of April 26, with the weeks of May 3 and May 10 as alternatives!

I'm so excited, i just wrote in this thread today saying I should be getting an e-mail soon. What do you know, I get it the same day!

 

[evergrowing]

Congrats on the e-mail!
I couldn't stop smiling for about an hour after I read mine!

I picked up the Welsh Harlequin eggs at a poultry swap on Sunday morning (they had Cayuga and Silver Appleyard eggs too). I put them in Sunday afternoon. I'm a serial candler , and I took a peek after 24 hours in the 'bator, and three of the 4 were showing early signs of development.

They're due April 18th, and I'll candle again this weekend, because they're in with some of my own eggs from my flock that have to be moved into the hatcher on Sunday. So, actually, I'm going to have some of my own ducklings hatching next week!

For some reason, I'm more excited about the Holderreads ducklings though.

You'll be having ducklings out your ears soon. We're keeping ours in the house for a while and I think my husband would have a fit if I did more then one batch this year. I think it would be a blast to hatch out eggs of my own someday. I hope the harlequins sit okay, I don't have a 'bator. Does anyone know if I can breed the ducks together that I'm getting from Holderreads? Would that make them inbred, or does it matter with ducks?

And yes just the thought that they are coming from Holderreads makes me excited! I'm thinking it has something to do with pouring over his book and reading more then I could ever remember about ducks.

 

[FenDruadin]

Yup, you can breed them together. Most likely, they will all be out of different breeding pens, and therefore unrelated. However, even if they were related you'd be all right--Holderread is very careful, and you don't really have to worry about inbreeding until three to four generations down the line anyway. Congrats on your babies!

 

[Sweetfolly]

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I know! I'm in hatch overdrive, and I have a batch of eggs (both ducklings and chicks) due nearly every week for the next 5 weeks on top of the ducklings that will be arriving from Holderreads!

I'm not planning on keeping all the Holderreads ducklings - I need a better Hookbill drake and a few more Hookbill girls, and I might keep a few of the assorted ducklings if I end up with any breeds I like. I have an aunt who gets first pick of whatever I don't keep.

With the pen/run space I have right now, I couldn't possibly take on more than 8 more ducks or so without compromising the welfare of all of them. I'm just crossing my fingers that I hatch a female Welsh Harlequin - I'm only planning on keeping one girl if any of them hatch. I did candle again (I just can't resist!) and all 4 are definately developing! Just watch - I'll get a female Harlequin in my Holderreads order and then my eggs will hatch, and I'll get another and be torn over which one to keep!

The ducklings I'm hatching from my own flock this year have already been sold - I have local people planning on coming to pick them up on May 1st.

 

[Jupiter]

Me too! Me too!

I got my email saying my Holderread ducklings will come April 19 with alternate weeks of April 26 and May 3rd!! I'm so excited. Mine are for slug control, so I'm only keeping 2 (maybe 3) after I know which are girls and which are boys. So cool. I know I'm taking pictures too

Can't wait.

 

[janastasio]

We were notified our will be shipped with week of April 19 with April 13 and 5 as the alternates! My daughter is giddy, she saved up all last year for this order! Thats birthday money, x-mas money, and LOTS of chores! She is getting 12 "exhibition quality ducklings! Woot Woot!

 

[Sweetfolly]

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Oooh, how fun! Did she choose a specific breed, or go with the Exhibition Assortment? If it's the assortment, you'll have to post which different breeds/varieties she ends up with. I know I've already said it, but I LOVE cute, fuzzy surprises!

 

[dot n'dave]

Oh lucky you!!
I cant wait to see pictures!