Well, I had a duck who was acting "broody" according to how I have read it being described...we found a nest she had scratched out in the dirt by the woodpile today out in the duck yard...today, she went down and sat on that nest. I saw her down there and just let her be, hoping against hope...I'd been told it would never happen here in our Illinois climate, but I was hoping anyway...
I heard a commotion outside the barn a short while later and opened the door, and there she was right next to the little pool outside the back door with an egg! A nicely shaped one with what looks to be a good shell!
I am still going OMG! OMG! OMG! This is my first call duck egg, and at the end of November! All my ducks are 2009 hatch except one, so I am not really holding out hope it will be fertile, being from a pullet, but this duck is one that has been breeding vigorously with one of my alpha males, so in an hour it is going into the incubator as soon as it warms to room temp! Adjusting the humidity on the bator as we speak...I may lose my 6 RIR ones, but I am not sure of them anyway, I candled them yesterday, but till my friend gets over here to have a look at them I am willing to risk them!
I am feeling justified now after having sent the hubby to get that Humidaire hatcher from that guy yesterday!
I heard a commotion outside the barn a short while later and opened the door, and there she was right next to the little pool outside the back door with an egg! A nicely shaped one with what looks to be a good shell!
I am still going OMG! OMG! OMG! This is my first call duck egg, and at the end of November! All my ducks are 2009 hatch except one, so I am not really holding out hope it will be fertile, being from a pullet, but this duck is one that has been breeding vigorously with one of my alpha males, so in an hour it is going into the incubator as soon as it warms to room temp! Adjusting the humidity on the bator as we speak...I may lose my 6 RIR ones, but I am not sure of them anyway, I candled them yesterday, but till my friend gets over here to have a look at them I am willing to risk them!
I am feeling justified now after having sent the hubby to get that Humidaire hatcher from that guy yesterday!
