My duck eggs hatching early!?!? Did I do something wrong?

[Bsranch3]

12 moved to brooder... One looks like his neck is deformed. Maybe he's just hatched and hasn't gotten it yet....

 

[Bsranch3]

What all do your duckling brooders have in them? I am curious to see your set up. I usually use shavings as well for my chicks, but they get super messy fast and I can't imagine how quick they would get gross with ducklings. I got 18 more duck eggs on Thusday, and set them Friday, so my ducks are 1 week apart. I also have 11 chicken eggs supposed to be hatching on Saturday. Or at least I am hoping they hatch. We had some terrible storms this weekend and lost power on a few occasions. I couldn't get the temps to stay at 99.5 for most of the weekend. They all wanted to hang out at 97.5-98.5.

Bsranch3 I am so excited for your hatching ducks! I just can't wait to see them all!

Normally I use pine shavings, but they do get yuck super fast.. I used aspen in a pinch and I think their feet didn't like that one bit. I'm trying out puppy pads I bought last night ;-)

 

[WVduckchick]

I used puppy pads when I had them in a huge plastic tote. They sure an soak them quickly!! Then moved them to a "chicken coop" and built a stand to sit in on, and put a screen under the waterer, with a rabbit catch pan underneath, lined with puppy pads. I could slide the tray out and change the pads easily. I used pine shavings on the other side and it didn't get to bad at all. Most of the water and poop ended up under the waterer.
(This was taken the first day. I later removed the ladder haha! )
Also ended up putting chickens in the house on top, and built a little platform out over the ducks for the chicks to come "outside" on.

 

[Bsranch3]

I used puppy pads when I had them in a huge plastic tote. They sure an soak them quickly!! Then moved them to a "chicken coop" and built a stand to sit in on, and put a screen under the waterer, with a rabbit catch pan underneath, lined with puppy pads. I could slide the tray out and change the pads easily. I used pine shavings on the other side and it didn't get to bad at all. Most of the water and poop ended up under the waterer. (This was taken the first day. I later removed the ladder haha! ) Also ended up putting chickens in the house on top, and built a little platform out over the ducks for the chicks to come "outside" on.

I love it!! Was it pre-fab or self built?

 

[Bsranch3]

I'm up to 13! With a few more pipped that I know of!
Question... I have my week old babies, think I can integrate the new ones with them? When can I?

 

[Teacherchick18]

I used puppy pads when I had them in a huge plastic tote. They sure an soak them quickly!! Then moved them to a "chicken coop" and built a stand to sit in on, and put a screen under the waterer, with a rabbit catch pan underneath, lined with puppy pads. I could slide the tray out and change the pads easily. I used pine shavings on the other side and it didn't get to bad at all. Most of the water and poop ended up under the waterer.
(This was taken the first day. I later removed the ladder haha! )
Also ended up putting chickens in the house on top, and built a little platform out over the ducks for the chicks to come "outside" on.

I love this! It is so cute!!! Where did you get it? My Hubby built me a box for my chicks but it isn't enclosed on the top so I have to keep it locked in a room where my kitties and dog won't get to it. I would love to have something that I could use outside under the porch for them, or even in the house where it didn't have to be watched 24/7 and locked away so I could enjoy watching them!

 

[WVduckchick]

I love it!! Was it pre-fab or self built?

Thanks! Its Pre-fab

I love this! It is so cute!!! Where did you get it? My Hubby built me a box for my chicks but it isn't enclosed on the top so I have to keep it locked in a room where my kitties and dog won't get to it. I would love to have something that I could use outside under the porch for them, or even in the house where it didn't have to be watched 24/7 and locked away so I could enjoy watching them!

Thanks! I bought this one at our local Rural King store. Tractor Supply has similar ones. Its not the most well-built thing, and I wouldn't trust it out in a yard so much, but it is now on my front porch, won't get rained on, and I can look at it out my living room window. It now houses my two 5-week old golden comet chicks and one 5-week old turkey. They seem to like it. They are almost as tall as the door when they go up the ladder (heck, they fly up and down, and don't really even use the ladder), so I hope they learn to duck their heads to get in! I don't think it will be appropriate for adults. I hatched 10 new chicks this past weekend, so we will be building something bigger for the turkey and comets, and the new chicks will go into this eventually. So I guess I'm using it as a "step" house, not a full-time house.

 

[Lacrystol]

First baby out!

AWEEEE

 

[Lacrystol]

12 moved to brooder... One looks like his neck is deformed. Maybe he's just hatched and hasn't gotten it yet....

Give him a day see if building up strength doesn't correct it, if not, then give him some Vitamin E

 

[Lacrystol]

What all do your duckling brooders have in them? I am curious to see your set up. I usually use shavings as well for my chicks, but they get super messy fast and I can't imagine how quick they would get gross with ducklings. I got 18 more duck eggs on Thusday, and set them Friday, so my ducks are 1 week apart. I also have 11 chicken eggs supposed to be hatching on Saturday. Or at least I am hoping they hatch. We had some terrible storms this weekend and lost power on a few occasions. I couldn't get the temps to stay at 99.5 for most of the weekend. They all wanted to hang out at 97.5-98.5.

Bsranch3 I am so excited for your hatching ducks! I just can't wait to see them all!

I have a little wooden square box that we made with chicken wire on top, and I put the pads down, there water bowl and I put another pie pan under the water bowl to kind of help a little with the messes. Then I heating lamp in one corner, so it has difference temp reading, . If they get to hot they move to the other side of the box, if it gets to cold, then they can go right to the heat.