Little Giant Incubation Experiment - Day 21 - Hatch Day!

[whitney556]

Wish I could post more in here! But I've been so busy I've only been able to lurk

Today is day 18 for me!! I plan on locking them down tonight. I candled them last night and it looks like I only have 3 good ones now out of 8, the other 5 look half empty inside like they had all stopped developing at the same time, but I guess I will find out for sure when I go to crack them open and see. I'm so excited/nervous! Really hoping the three all hatch and come out healthy. I have a feeling the rest of this week is going to drrraaaaggg! I'm too excited!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I suppose I can't really complain. I've hatched a TON of chicks this year and I've only had to cull one. Everyone else has been perfectly healthy. I just thought it was so odd that the rest of the eggs have been okay, but that one was so weird. I'm feeling better about it today. It came from one of my shipped eggs, so maybe that had something to do with it.

WVduckchick- CONGRATS ON YOUR HATCHLINGS That's so great you've finally gotten some!

And congrats to everyone else too!!!

 

[Lynn Manes]

Picked up a dozen duck eggs today. .. going to give them a try. My problem is though that the lady I got them from has a grab bag assortment and essentially the eggs all look the same aside for some size differences. She does have muscovy.. which I read can take longer. .. but I don't know what is what. .. if I put them into lock down at 25 days wouldn't that kill any muscovy since they wouldn't be turned ... thoughts?

Good luck.Our mallards are still sitting on 14 eggs but we already have 2 early ducklings. It's taking forever and I fret that something is going to get those eggs. Then a few days ago there was a big snake in my front yard. At first thought it was a rattlesnake but a couple people said probably a garter snake as they have same coloring as rattlesnakes without the venom or rattles. First time ever I've had a snake on the property and was told the poultry and eggs could have drawn it. It got away but thankfully it didn't get into the back yard farm area.They already kicked out 3 eggs from the nest. Don't want to lose more.

 

[WVduckchick]

I suppose I can't really complain. I've hatched a TON of chicks this year and I've only had to cull one. Everyone else has been perfectly healthy. I just thought it was so odd that the rest of the eggs have been okay, but that one was so weird. I'm feeling better about it today. It came from one of my shipped eggs, so maybe that had something to do with it.

WVduckchick- CONGRATS ON YOUR HATCHLINGS

That's so great you've finally gotten some!

And congrats to everyone else too!!!

I think you mean Fiset... Mine hatched over 2 weeks ago.. already growing like little weeds!

Good luck.Our mallards are still sitting on 14 eggs but we already have 2 early ducklings. It's taking forever and I fret that something is going to get those eggs. Then a few days ago there was a big snake in my front yard. At first thought it was a rattlesnake but a couple people said probably a garter snake as they have same coloring as rattlesnakes without the venom or rattles. First time ever I've had a snake on the property and was told the poultry and eggs could have drawn it. It got away but thankfully it didn't get into the back yard farm area.They already kicked out 3 eggs from the nest. Don't want to lose more.

My neighbor killed a snake yesterday that was headed my way (about a acre between us). So thankful to have watchful neighbors. The daughter immediately started looking online about snakes and chicks/ducks. My littlest ones are already outside, so I hope the coop is snake proof... or the ducks scare any snakes off. I'm concerned, and I know snakes have their place in this world (eat mice, etc), but any snake I see on my property will be a dead one!

Best of luck with your mallards... let us know how it goes, and post some pics when you can!

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Probably Its been a long day already!

 

[Lynn Manes]

I think you mean Fiset...  Mine hatched over 2 weeks ago.. already growing like little weeds!


My neighbor killed a snake yesterday that was headed my way (about a acre between us).  So thankful to have watchful neighbors.  The daughter immediately started looking online about snakes and chicks/ducks.  My littlest ones are already outside, so I hope the coop is snake proof... or the ducks scare any snakes off.  I'm concerned, and I know snakes have their place in this world (eat mice, etc), but any snake I see on my property will be a dead one! 

Best of luck with your mallards... let us know how it goes, and post some pics when you can!

One of my neighbors I don't even know came over to help me about the snake. It had crawled under a big geranium bush and when I tried to stab it with an old pitch fork it slithered even further into the massive bush. The 2 of us raked & poked all around and prodded into that bush but couldn't find it. We checked under vehicles and all round the front yard but no luck. As I was leaving (my fiance had just been admitted that morning to the hospital), I ran into an ag man who was doing random checks on fruit trees in the neighborhood and he offered to go check the front yard too. I had to get to the hospital so I gave him permission. He didn't leave me a note or a dead snake, so I think he also found nothing. I'm with you about snakes and had my fiance been here he'd have just shot it, and it would have been on its way to snake heaven for certain. My backyard property area is only 1/3 acre, but it is not exclusively used for the birds. Plus we are utilizing a good sized area on our west side too for our chickens, quail and rabbits. We are hoping in a couple of years to sell out here in CA & buy property in mid NC so we will have much more land for our animals and our art and antique businesses. At our ages most people are scaling down. Not me I want more land and a big farmhouse or log cabin Btw, the mamas are being super protective of their 2 little ducklings right now so I've not been able to get pix of them. As soon as I can I'll post some. I swear after this I wont allow them to brood. Eggs will go into the bator so I'm the one who has control on the ducklings hatching i thought they'd all hatch out at the same time. This waiting is driving me nuts.i sure hope we get more than just 2.

 

[scflock]

I just had to cull one of my chicks
Against my better judgement, I helped it out of the shell. It had zipped about halfway around and got stuck. I could see the feathers dried to a bit of membrane where it had pipped. I wasn't really prepared for what was inside that egg. When I got the top off, it was immediately evident that it wasn't right, not normal. The first thing I noticed was the SMELL. Oh the smell, just awful. It was covered in a brownish, thick jelly instead of the normal looking fluid. It was STICKY. When I touched my fingers together, they literally stuck like I had glue on them. When I got it out, it had a large fluid filled sac on its neck (at first I thought it hadn't absorbed its yolk, it was yellow). Its neck was kind of crooked too. So, it left this world as quickly as it entered it. It may have survived, maybe I could've drained the fluid off its neck and hoped it lived a semi normal life, but I did what I thought was best. When I sat it in the 'bator to contemplate whether or not I wanted to try to save it, the other chicks immediately started pecking it. Pulling it around by its toes. That was it, that told me that ending it quickly was the best.
I feel just horrible. If I'd have left it, it would've died. I would've tossed that egg and never known. It wouldn't have looked at me while I was ending its life :/ I HATE having to do that. Dread it.

Now I'm having a beer. I have one more egg left in the incubator. I'm a little worried that one is going to have problems too, after all that, so I absolutely will not help it. No way, never again, theres a reason I don't do it and I got a stern reminder why tonight.
I'm ready to clean the hatcher out, its pretty smelly in there. But, my husband has convinced me that I should go ahead and start another round of eggs (enabler), so the 9300 is still out and I'm gathering another clutch

I just had to cull one. Fifth time I've done that. Saturday I was tossing eggs left by the broody when one started cheeping. Against my better judgement, I helped it hatch and have had it inside ever since. Crooked toes, never could walk, been on its back since last night. It would have been more humane to let it die in the shell. I said I wouldn't do it again, but I did with the same results. No more

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

:/

 

[fiset94]

I am so happy to hear you are finally getting hatchlings after all the rotten luck you've had! Remind me, how many eggs total did you have go to lockdown?

I put 12 eggs in... 3 didn't make it... and 7 are out running around the brooder doing great.... The last two are in the bator with good sized pips!

I hope to get everyone out by tomorrow because my Serama eggs were Supposed to go in lockdown today!

Michele

Edit... to add that the last two hatched and are doing well.... so that makes 9 out of 12 that were set!!! So Happy!!

 

[bpetry]

So I'm on day 10 with my duck eggs... I candled them last night and saw great veining and movement in 11 of the 12. My double yolker has no veins or signs of life. ... probably better that way. Duck eggs are intense. .. they are so easy to see thru it's fun. And I'm thrilled to report I got my humidity and temp thing figured out so I only have to mess with the bator every 4 days or so. Disposable diapers have been my savior for humidity levels.