Mandies--- 8 eggs in Nest! help/question on p.4

[chickenlisa]

update: she's still setting. I hardly ever see her out of the box, but I did see her last evening. She was out for about an hour or more, but I watched from a hidden spot and I saw her fly back into the box and stay in. Last I knew there were 8 eggs. I wish my other female would lay eggs in the other nestbox. A wild Starling made a nest in there and has blue little eggs in it. Should I take that nest out so my other Mandie girl can use it if she wants? We're halfway thru the 4 weeks I think for the broody girl. I sure hope she hatches some babies. Will she protect them from the other Mandies and the Aussie Spotted ducks (2) and young chickens in that pen? I moved my teenaged chicks into there for lack of another place right now.( I've got too many young ones and these ones are too old for them and too young for the adult pen.)

 

[sianara]

Quote:
Hi chickenlisa,

How do you like your Australian spotteds? I've ordered a pair of "adult" blueheads from Holderreads but they won't come until October or possibly September.

Where did you get them?

How old are they?

How long have you had them?

Sorry for all the questions but I'm so glad to find someone else who actually HAS them. Most people I mention them to have never even heard of the breed

(anxiously awaiting your response

)

 

[chickenlisa]

I hatched them from eggs that I got from Asher (here on BYC) in a swap or crazy egg chain. I forget. They hatched in April ... I've got 1 light one and 1 darker one. Hope they are a pair... but either way, they are nice, pretty calm, and get along with my Mandies and juvie chicks in that pen. I'm happy with them.
I'll take new pics of them one of these days when it stops raining and the sun is out.

 

[DuckyBoys]

I think I have some mandi eggs too! I just collected a bunch of eggs that I thought were calls but upon closer inspection, they are light brown. My call eggs are all white. So...could be!

 

[katemary63]

I have a trio of Mandarins. The second hen did not start setting until 2 weeks after the first. I think once the first hen started setting in the nextbox, the male decided to take interest in the second hen. They have all hatched now. 8 in the first batch, 10 in the second!

I would take the other bird nest out of your second next box just in case your second hen wants to set.

 

[taras.farm]

My mandies started laying last week so I threw some in the incu but day 4 they look clear...bummer....Maybe my lil man needs time to get his act together...

gonna pop 5 more in tomorrow.
Mine are spazzy too....but I'm going to add some friends this summer to their aviary ...maybe calm em down...

Still jealous about hoderead orders...Enjoy!

 

[chickenlisa]

Quote:
I went out to do that, and I saw a very tiny head pop up with its wee little mouth wide open looking for food. I was too late.

So now I either have to move the whole nest and eggs and hatched babies to a different safe place (and the mother bird won't know where they are) or let it all just play out. This will take longer than I want though because they all have to grow up in that nest for who knows how long? I want the nestbox back for my other Mandie if she decides to use it. What would you do?

 

[chickenlisa]

now that we're about a week or so away from hatching (if they do

)
I am wondering something....I've got about 20 or so 3-4 month old chicks in that pen too with the 2 Aussie spots and 4 Mandarins. They all get along together fine and are eating chick grower and sporting bird grower feed. Do the ducklings need to be more protected once they hatch? Will the Mama duck keep them safe from the chicks and other ducks? Do the chicks all need to come out (as if I have a place to put them? I'm maxed out on pens and birds right now...) What do you all think?

 

[chickenlisa]

well today is day 28 for my Mandarins. I so hope some babies hatch! I lost my lower ranking Male over the weekend. I went out and found him dead. It was so sad! I hope all 8 eggs hatch and I get at least 1 new boy in the batch! Will update when I know anything for sure!
Lisa
PS- Wish I had a camera in the nestbox like giffy! That would be so cool!

 

[Haley_LinckHillPoultry]

Quote:
Try putting some small domestic ducks in with them. I housed my Mandarins in a large dog kennel with around 14 call ducks. That made the mandarins calm down ALOT and become alot friendlier. They still wont let me touch them, but now I can get within 2 feet of them and they are fine.

Same here, I lost my female, so I moved my female call and east indie in with him and now he is a lot tamer.