Mandarin Egg Incubation

[squeakyduck]

Hey SundownWaterfowl,
You wouldn't be selling any of those Mandarin ducklings would you? I'm interested if you are!!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Sorry, i wont. Since they didnt get to lay last year, I will be keeping every duckling that hatches. I got mine from Squaw Creek Farm. You should check them out.



I wish that there was more information on breeding/rearing mandarin ducks online.

 

[giffy]

Quote:
On the page link below I have photos and a few videos of the Wood ducklings leaving the nest box, I took these last May. The Mandarins will do the exact same thing.

2008 nest box photos

On the pen, bigger is always better. The more waterfowl you keep, the larger pen you are going to need to keep things from turning into a large mud pit. There is always the tendency to get to many ducks before you learn what amount of space is needed to keep them properly.

In the link below, I have a photo of that I keep a pair of Mandarins and a pair of Wood ducks in. In the fall I get rid of all but a pair of each..............I would like to keep more but I like keeping the pen looking natural as possible.

Cold frame aviary


giffy
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GiffsFarm

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

well giffy, those are the cutest pictures of ducklings! I love the one with the little duckling climbing up the wire. Nice avairys also. The dog kennel is very large.

You say you keep wood ducks and mandarins together? They dont breed with eachother and you get mixed ducklings?

 

[giffy]

Quote:
No, I have never seen a hybrid from a Wood/Mandarin cross, there are though, quite a few hybrid duck photos I have seen from Wood ducks crossing with another breed. They (Wood/Mandarin) may go through the motions but all accounts I have read is that the eggs will be infertile if they were to breed due to genetics...........also I have never seen any of my Wood/Mandarins attempt to cross breed in all the years I have kept them.

giffy
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[SundownWaterfowl]

I saw my Mandarins breeding today. And I also saw one of the ducks in the nest.

 

[farmertank]

I don't mean to interrupt, but I have a question for Giffy.

I was told once that if a baby wood duck doesn't have a certain impact when they fall they will lay there and die. example if you have a nest low to ground, when the babies come out they won't have such an impact when they jump down. They feel like something is wrong by instinct and won't move and will die. Is this true?

I have never had wood ducks, I'm interested but I'm afraid I would never have the set up that would be good for them. I still like to learn though.

You have some really nice photos I have never seen the inside of the box.

Julie

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Good Question. I have heard that a couple times, but then I have also heard that its just a rumor.

 

[giffy]

Quote:
The exit from my highest nest box is a six foot drop, I have boxes situated in different directions at different heights. It is my experience that the highest box has always been the most popular, most likely the hen feels the most safe in this box. I have never had a duckling get injured (that I know of) from the fall. I have read that in the wild nests have been found close to 200 feet up. I will also note that I have never noticed the Wood hen helping the ducklings leave the nest boxes. Most times she calls them out of the box within 24 hours from the hatch. By this time they have been clearly imprinted by the mother and you can see them begin to perk up and leave as soon as she calls.

Years ago I was watching the monitor as they left and noticed one did not make the climb to leave. Hours later the duckling was still in the nest and that time I removed the duckling and dropped it from the opening into the grass below...........I too had read the suggestion that Wood ducks must go through a series of beginning events which included the drop. The mother had taken her ducklings to the other end of the pen, I left the pen after helping the duckling out. The next morning I did find one duckling that had died, my guess is that it is the one that I had helped.

I know there are breeders that have successfully incubated Wood ducklings without having to drop them as the theory suggests but I will say that getting them to eat correctly is also a challenge. My best success (when I have taken them a few days after hatching) has been keeping them with domestic ducklings around the same age, they seem to teach the Woodies on what to do.

I never incubate the Wood or Mandarin eggs, the mother does a far better job than I could. Once they leave the nest she leads them to both the water and food.

A little long winded in the reply to your question, but I believe it is just a theory that they need "the drop."

giffy
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[farmertank]

thank you so much Giffy! I like long winded answers it shows you know and love what you do

. That was great info.


Julie