Mandarin Duck thread ( for posting pictures and discussing)

[AliciaM]

so your suggesting I disturb the hen on a daily basis, in the hopes I can catch them as they pip? If I had a more accurate timeline, I could.. but since I have NO idea how long she has been setting them, why run the risk of her permanently getting off the eggs with me not being aware of it and possibly screw up the whole hatch? Its not possible for me to check the nest more than once a day "cuz" of other obligations throughout the day..

 

[RingedTeal]

She should come off the nest to eat and also you'll hear them peeping before they hatch.

 

[AliciaM]

I have gone out there at different times of the day and she is always on the nest.. I dont think ive seen her out of the box in at least 2 weeks.. I opened it up once just to make sure she wasnt dead and she about attacked me.. Very protective of her nest...
But, I will try and listen for peeps.... Id personaly rather wait for them to hatch under her, then pull the babies from them.. The pen is secure, they cant escape...

 

[3BirdGirlz]

No, no, no. They dropped mandarins and wood ducks 100 years ago. Order a bag of mazuri duck starter online, offer it in a dish near the water and sprinkled in the water itself. Don't kiss/ snuggle/ play with them. Keep them calm, quiet and secure. They can climb well for the first few days- use mesh or screen to keep them in.

If you pull when they're pipped run your incubator at 98.0 - 99.0 with a. 60-80% humidity. You don't have to be that precise that late in incubation- just don't overheat them or let them dry out.

DT

Thanks for the info too....I was wondering exactly when I should pull the eggs.

 

[chickenlisa]

I caught my other regular colored Mandarin in the 2nd nest box when I checked it for additional eggs...so it is either her laying them there, or they are both (the white one and her) both laying in there. I'll add this egg I found on the pen floor to that box once she's out of it. I absolutely need more boxes...I know. But trying to get my dh to help me built them is like getting a $ tree to grow out back.

We'll see what gets done this weekend...
just went out and saw her out, so that egg is now in the nestbox...

 

[alp421]

Yay! I found a drake and he arrived safely today! As soon as I put him in our pen, our girl started quacking like crazy. My husband said she's a typical woman...can't let him have a moments rest even after a long trip!

 

[RingedTeal]

I have gone out there at different times of the day and she is always on the nest.. I dont think ive seen her out of the box in at least 2 weeks.. I opened it up once just to make sure she wasnt dead and she about attacked me.. Very protective of her nest...
But, I will try and listen for peeps.... Id personaly rather wait for them to hatch under her, then pull the babies from them.. The pen is secure, they cant escape...

I would just try to make sure I got them before they hit the ground so you have a chance they won't imprint on the hen.

 

[BYC-user-174785]

What I have done is I let the hen incubate her eggs, but I make sure I know when I gave her eggs to incubate (I collect eggs and replace with wooden eggs to minimize breakages) so that I know when to expect ducklings. When it is time to hatch she will not come off the nest, or at least mine did not. Then I just check and if there are a whole bunch cute little ducklings you take them and they are fine. I have even had to catch ducklings that had already jumped out of the nest, but that was an absolute pain. I have been successful with that, it is just upsetting when the hen looks everywhere and calls for her ducklings...

 

[TheYeldman]

Cheers for the info guys, got the first egg in the new box today. Let's hope it's fertile!

 

[chickenlisa]

I'm going out today to drain and refill their pool, put a "ramp" that goes into and out of the pool (it is a gutter guard bent in half) that babies can use to safely get out of the pool if they get in, and get a dish placed where I can easily pour crumbles...all for Mandarin babies due in the next couple of days. Once they hop out of the nestbox, I try not to bother them as much as possible. They are so skittish and I don't want any scattering or disappearing.