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

[Miami Leghorn]

It's way past time I started my own thread. Please feel free to share your own Call ducks and chat! Calls from your past, present, and future are all welcome!

My OG girls (thanks @Conan for starting this obsession!) are the 4 in front and the 4 most close to the camera. They will be 2 years old April and May 2023. From left to right: Butter, Puddle, Lidus, Raspberry (in back), Roxy, and my drake Puddin' in the rear.
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The newest pair arrived this October from Montana. They are approximately 7 months old. Their names are Raspberry and Puddin'.

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I will be working on breeding the newest pair this coming spring, and potentially exploring one of my OG girl's genetics. She has a nice enough shape and bill that I don't think it would take much for her to produce SQ babies.

Here are the stats on the group as of today.
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Raspberry:
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Puddin':
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Puddle:
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Hoping to get my human kidlets started on showing this summer. Please feel free to share any and all show tips! Would also love to hear about Call color genetics. I'm trying to learn as I go here. I've already picked a breeding partner and we are super excited to get started this spring.

Can't wait to hear from all the fellow Call peeps!

Darn it @Overo Mare I want to share these pics with my wife but I know as soon as she sees them she's going to want to know where can she get some. Those things are illegally cute.

 

[WVduckchick]

Darn it @Overo Mare I want to share these pics with my wife but I know as soon as she sees them she's going to want to know where can she get some. Those things are illegally cute.

“Illegally cute” is now my favorite description of Calls! Spot on!

For those concerned about hatching them, their small bills and short necks, I’d just like to add that the super short bills and necks are desirable for showing, but the vast majority of backyard call ducks are not nearly as “typey” and are somewhat easier to hatch. I believe I had 6(?) broodies hatch ducklings in 2022, and they have 95-100% hatches. Artificial incubation is less than the girls, but I had many successful incubations. My flock is not nearly as typey as desired for showing, but I believe my colors varieties are accurate and beautiful, and that’s more important to me as a backyard breeder. Just throwing that out for anyone looking in to getting some.

 

[Painted Calls]

Darn it @Overo Mare I want to share these pics with my wife but I know as soon as she sees them she's going to want to know where can she get some. Those things are illegally cute.

 

[Painted Calls]

“Illegally cute” is now my favorite description of Calls! Spot on!

For those concerned about hatching them, their small bills and short necks, I’d just like to add that the super short bills and necks are desirable for showing, but the vast majority of backyard call ducks are not nearly as “typey” and are somewhat easier to hatch. I believe I had 6(?) broodies hatch ducklings in 2022, and they have 95-100% hatches. Artificial incubation is less than the girls, but I had many successful incubations. My flock is not nearly as typey as desired for showing, but I believe my colors varieties are accurate and beautiful, and that’s more important to me as a backyard breeder. Just throwing that out for anyone looking in to getting some.

Post more pics of your rainbow flock for Miami!

 

[Miss Lydia]

And here I sit wondering where I can get call duck eggs since I have free hands off incubators[Muscovy]
Illegally cute is spot on.

 

[Painted Calls]

And here I sit wondering where I can get call duck eggs since I have free hands off incubators[Muscovy]
Illegally cute is spot on.

I don't know of any that would be laying right now... But this spring.... Lots of eggs around!

 

[The Moonshiner]

And here I sit wondering where I can get call duck eggs since I have free hands off incubators[Muscovy]
Illegally cute is spot on.

Muscovies don't work. Tried it. They're too heavy and break the eggs.
Had the same issue trying to get them to hatch leghorn eggs. I had one last year with a mix of her own eggs and some leghorn eggs. She hatched almost 100% of the leghorn eggs.
Next year I'm gonna experiment a little with letting them have mixed batches. I think with some of their own eggs it keeps the weight off the others better.
Leghorns and Calls would hatch earlier so I'll watch and pull them for a brooder then let her finish off her own eggs.

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

Lol! I showed this thread to my mom for fun, next thing you know, she’s on cackle hatchery !

 

[Miss Lydia]

Muscovies don't work. Tried it. They're too heavy and break the eggs.
Had the same issue trying to get them to hatch leghorn eggs. I had one last year with a mix of her own eggs and some leghorn eggs. She hatched almost 100% of the leghorn eggs.
Next year I'm gonna experiment a little with letting them have mixed batches. I think with some of their own eggs it keeps the weight off the others better.
Leghorns and Calls would hatch earlier so I'll watch and pull them for a brooder then let her finish off her own eggs.

After I posted that reply I remembered how My Muscovy sat Runner eggs and they were not strong enough for her to sit. Now we know why Muscovy eggs are so tough they have to be. lol
I bet I have some Cochin bantams and Orpingtons who would be up for it though?

 

[Painted Calls]

I miss having babies!

Bebe Roxy and Butter

The way they sleep kills me.