Mare's Illegal Cute-ness (Call Duck) Chat Thread!!

[MGG]

My first eggs actually came from Washington state, and I'm all the way in VA. For eggs (and live birds), less time in the mail is better. For eggs, standard shipping is usually fine. Just know that shipping is HARD on Call eggs. Out of 12, the most I've had make it to hatch is four. @HeatherKellyB had 31 or so shipped to her from MO. She got one out of those. I shipped her 21 I think? She got one out of mine.

For adults, they need to be shipped through express 2 day. They can't be shipped USPS. They come FedEx. Mine didn't come with anything in the box. Just the poop mat and the birds.

That's crazy they didn't add any type of food stuff in there.
I didn't know FedEx shipped birds. I've only ever received and shipped birds through the post office.

 

[MGG]

I'd like to get a pair or 2 of mandarins. A friend that was into pheasants with me had some. He had a habitat he made for them. Even had a little cement curvy creek running through it with little pumps to keep it moving and a wire filter box thing he fabricated to pick up poo and stuff downstream to keep it pretty clean. The pen was about 40x40 and 12 feet or so tall. Same guy had a couple loads of sandy clay dumped by a dump truck. Dropped 2 piles side by side. Put chainlink around it. Let it get pretty dry then put silver foxes in it. They made thier dens in it, it was the coolest thing ever. They acted like dogs when he went in. Sit on a pile and they would lay on him and lick him and stuff. Had 2 if I remember correctly.

Foxes are so cool.
I know some people in Louisiana who have mandarin ducks. They're probably sold out for the year though.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I believe the breeder @Overo Mare got her pair from was In Montana which is much closer to you……..should be overnight shipping available. Shippers usually put in high water content greens or hydration gels for shipments of live animals.

They didn't include anything with my pair that I just received Wednesday. I guess it's possible they did and the little quackers ate it all but I didn't see any signs of anything but a tiny bit of shavings. They shipped on Monday afternoon from Montana and arrived in NC early Wednesday morning. @Overo Mare did Raz and Puddin have anything in their box?

Edited to add: My apologies! I didn't ready far enough. Typical me

 

[HeatherKellyB]

My first eggs actually came from Washington state, and I'm all the way in VA. For eggs (and live birds), less time in the mail is better. For eggs, standard shipping is usually fine. Just know that shipping is HARD on Call eggs. Out of 12, the most I've had make it to hatch is four. @HeatherKellyB had 31 or so shipped to her from MO. She got one out of those. I shipped her 21 I think? She got one out of mine.

For adults, they need to be shipped through express 2 day. They can't be shipped USPS. They come FedEx. Mine didn't come with anything in the box. Just the poop mat and the birds.

Oops! I didn't read far enough. Overlook me

 

[HeatherKellyB]

x2. I must have gotten four dozen and two of them hatched.

I'm relieved to see it's not just me. I mean I hate the odds and hate that for anyone else but I was beating myself up for a while about that. I know my post office is very gentle. They actually share in my excitement and are always so anxious about my packages with eggs or birds
@Overo Mare didn't we have 4 that started developing from your flocks eggs? All but that one Lidus egg quit very early on, but I didn't give up hope on any of them very easily. That one Lidus egg is my heart now My daughter adores Piper almost as much as me

 

[Painted Calls]

That's crazy they didn't add any type of food stuff in there.
I didn't know FedEx shipped birds. I've only ever received and shipped birds through the post office.

Sucks when the tracking goes quiet because the switch from USPS to FedEx. I think it has something to do with dry ice routes.

 

[Painted Calls]

I'm relieved to see it's not just me. I mean I hate the odds and hate that for anyone else but I was beating myself up for a while about that. I know my post office is very gentle. They actually share in my excitement and are always so anxious about my packages with eggs or birds
@Overo Mare didn't we have 4 that started developing from your flocks eggs? All but that one Lidus egg quit very early on, but I didn't give up hope on any of them very easily. That one Lidus egg is my heart now My daughter adores Piper almost as much as me
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Yep - that's what I remember. I'm betting it has to do with how close to SQ they are, too. But maybe not. I have no idea.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I had similar luck with shipped call duck eggs, just one hatched out of I think 18. That little duckling only lived around 10 days, too, so that was rough all around.

I didn't have much better luck with eggs from the pair I bought, though. Crash is the only one that ever hatched from them and I'm pretty sure that was only because I had weakened her shell for her when I dropped her egg at lockdown. But I never tried again after her. Too much heartbreak.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I had similar luck with shipped call duck eggs, just one hatched out of I think 18. That little duckling only lived around 10 days, too, so that was rough all around.

I didn't have much better luck with eggs from the pair I bought, though. Crash is the only one that ever hatched from them and I'm pretty sure that was only because I had weakened her shell for her when I dropped her egg at lockdown. But I never tried again after her. Too much heartbreak.

I'm so sorry. That's heart breaking. Thankfully Crash brought some beauty and love into your life

 

[muddy75]

My guess is that hers were from older layers. Mine and Moony's were new layers.

Same with my HG hatch....... miracle that 2 made it from the first two dozen eggs laid at end of the season.