After a day with ducklings, I think I like them better than chickens!
I hemmed & hawed about getting duck eggs. My mother/landlord said know, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her right?
Anyway- I won an auction on Ebay on April 15th, through trial and tribulation the eggs were finally shipped on April 24th & went into the incubator on April 26-27 (can't exactly remember). 4 out of the 6 made it into lock-down with HUGE wonky air cells. I had the humidity up 55-60% almost consistently but was having trouble with it.
On May 26th- after MUCH help- quackers was hatched. Then next day, again after a little less help cheese was hatched. I still have the other 2 eggs in the incubator, but hold little hope of them hatching now, as it is day 32-33.... (should I wait a few more days? I candled & I don't think it looks promising) I've got 3 dozen quail eggs waiting to go into the 'bator...
Anyway- here's a picture of Quackers & Cheese. From first impression (and if I listen to my gut, it hasn't been overly wrong yet if I'm honest to myself) I would say Quackers is a boy & Cheese is a girl. Cheese is smaller, has a littler beak which is all dark black. I guess I'll have to wait & see. C follows Q around and monkeys him & peeps loudly if he's missing.
Cheese is in front. It looks like Quackers had a rough time coming out of the egg as he has a wonkie rough spot on his lower back & a lopsided looking head. I hope these are just the way his baby down dried & not deformities. Anyone know or have clue?
No one ever told me how soft & mushy their little bellies are, or how adorably soft their little webbed feet are, or how sweetly that snuggle up on you!
My one concern is that they have so much yellow on their chests- I thought Cayugas were black?
I hemmed & hawed about getting duck eggs. My mother/landlord said know, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her right?
Anyway- I won an auction on Ebay on April 15th, through trial and tribulation the eggs were finally shipped on April 24th & went into the incubator on April 26-27 (can't exactly remember). 4 out of the 6 made it into lock-down with HUGE wonky air cells. I had the humidity up 55-60% almost consistently but was having trouble with it.
On May 26th- after MUCH help- quackers was hatched. Then next day, again after a little less help cheese was hatched. I still have the other 2 eggs in the incubator, but hold little hope of them hatching now, as it is day 32-33.... (should I wait a few more days? I candled & I don't think it looks promising) I've got 3 dozen quail eggs waiting to go into the 'bator...
Anyway- here's a picture of Quackers & Cheese. From first impression (and if I listen to my gut, it hasn't been overly wrong yet if I'm honest to myself) I would say Quackers is a boy & Cheese is a girl. Cheese is smaller, has a littler beak which is all dark black. I guess I'll have to wait & see. C follows Q around and monkeys him & peeps loudly if he's missing.
Cheese is in front. It looks like Quackers had a rough time coming out of the egg as he has a wonkie rough spot on his lower back & a lopsided looking head. I hope these are just the way his baby down dried & not deformities. Anyone know or have clue?
No one ever told me how soft & mushy their little bellies are, or how adorably soft their little webbed feet are, or how sweetly that snuggle up on you!
My one concern is that they have so much yellow on their chests- I thought Cayugas were black?