May Hatch-a-Long!

[Wishapup]

Out of 51 eggs, two (I think) lone eggs are pipped on Day 19! Why so early? No other eggs are doing anything...

BirdyGirl - So sorry about your incubation troubles with your ducklings. It doesn't sound like it could be a genetic issue if it was a problem caused by temp fluctuations. Would the abnormalities prevent them from moving normally?

 

[BirdyGirl7198]

I've been reading it is not genetic. I am not too sure about that though. Some say X-ray during shipping can cause it. Were they shipped?

No, I picked them up from a local farmer. I am almost positive that it's due to very high temperatures for most of the incubation. They didn't form properly. I was surprised when they hatched 5 days late though, because of the higher temperatures.

 

[BirdyGirl7198]

I hatched 17 ducklings. Out of those 17, only 2 of them had deformities.

 

[Wishapup]

I hatched 17 ducklings. Out of those 17, only 2 of them had deformities.

I'm happy you have 15 healthy ducklings

Hopefully things will work out for the other two.

 

[BirdyGirl7198]

Out of 51 eggs, two (I think) lone eggs are pipped on Day 19! Why so early? No other eggs are doing anything...

BirdyGirl - So sorry about your incubation troubles with your ducklings. It doesn't sound like it could be a genetic issue if it was a problem caused by temp fluctuations. Would the abnormalities prevent them from moving normally?

One of the ducklings is paralysed from the knee down on his left leg, so he did have a lot of trouble for the first couple days... I had to carry him to the food and water. I decided to give him a few more days, just to make sure that I wasn't giving up on him when he could potentially live a normal (ish) life. He has now taught himself to hop around on one foot and is able to keep up with the other ducklings. I'm not too worried about him, he seems to be doing fine

The other one has a pretty bad case of curly toe, but it hasn't effected her at all. Right from the start she has been just as strong and healthy as the others. I tried to boot her foot but it kept falling off, I'll try again with stronger tape, but I'm not hopeful. Even if I can't correct it, she seems fine.

 

[BirdyGirl7198]

I'm happy you have 15 healthy ducklings

Hopefully things will work out for the other two.

Thank you! I hope so too.. Unfortunately I had to sell 14 of the ducklings, so I'm left with only one "normal" duckling. They're all healthy, just a bit odd looking

 

[Farmer Viola]

Are leg and foot abnormalities usually genetic or something done incorrectly during incubation?? I had a lot of temperature fluctuations during incubation (the highest being 110 and the lowest being 87). Would breeding ducks with abnormalities due to incorrect incubation increase the chances of having deformed ducklings, even if incubation is perfect?? Thanks!

I believe that is most likely due to too-high temperatures during incubation... if so, it would not be genetically passed down... I guess you would know by the first generation.
here is the trouble shooting link I like to use: http://msucares.com/poultry/reproductions/trouble.html hope it helps!

 

[Farmer Viola]

day 20!
right now I have a LOT of pips, 10 or 15 if I had to guess?

the first chick to hatch was one from my own flock!!!
only 2 eggs in this batch are mine, they are black copper marans X blr wyandottes. the pullet has only been laying eggs for about 1.5 months so I was not sure if they would hatch, or if they were fertile.
the other marans x wy egg pipped at the wrong end, and is bleeding a little bit. I will have to wait until all the others hatch before I open the incubator to assist it... plus it needs at least 12hrs to absorb, since there is blood. I saw movement 5hrs after the bloody pip so it is still alive... hold on little chick!


she has a rose comb, and marans coloring. she has blueish silver feathers on her legs and toes. soo cool to see the 2 chickens crossed haha!


I went outside to water my garden, probably 20-30 minutes. came back in, and TWO more had hatched, which weren't even beginning to zip when I left!
haha Mahen I completely thought of you... soo funny. surprise!!!

 

[Wishapup]

day 20!
right now I have a LOT of pips, 10 or 15 if I had to guess?

the first chick to hatch was one from my own flock!!!
only 2 eggs in this batch are mine, they are black copper marans X blr wyandottes. the pullet has only been laying eggs for about 1.5 months so I was not sure if they would hatch, or if they were fertile.
the other marans x wy egg pipped at the wrong end, and is bleeding a little bit. I will have to wait until all the others hatch before I open the incubator to assist it... plus it needs at least 12hrs to absorb, since there is blood. I saw movement 5hrs after the bloody pip so it is still alive... hold on little chick!


she has a rose comb, and marans coloring. she has blueish silver feathers on her legs and toes. soo cool to see the 2 chickens crossed haha!


I went outside to water my garden, probably 20-30 minutes. came back in, and TWO more had hatched, which weren't even beginning to zip when I left!
haha Mahen I completely thought of you... soo funny. surprise!!!

Very nice! I have 3 confirmed pips out of 51 eggs on Day 19 - and 1-2 suspected pips. Hard to tell with my tiny incubator windows.

The Marans x Wyandotte is beautiful!

 

[Wishapup]

I put in 5 of my own bantam mix eggs, plus 7 more that had accidentally been washed under the tap (possibly even scrubbed) as an experiment. The washed ones I candled were developing and now I have a pip from one of each.