I already started some duck eggs, but they're due between 22-29th. usually I don't stagger hatches, but I found a Pekin x Domestic mallard egg at a park just laying on the shore, and got SO excited I set up the incubator. 8 years ago this park had a whole flock of Pekins, and I hatched 5 of 11 eggs I gathered.
Then I started actually thinking about it... gosh darn it, I need more! So I hopped onto Ebay and bought some Saxony duck eggs. I've since found 3 more eggs, and all 4 are going, with veining at the first candling.
The Saxony eggs arrive, badly damaged! 3 of the 6 were cracked beyond hope, 1 broken yolk and a dislodged air sac. The remaining 2 had dislodged air sacs, in there floating around like bubbles when I candled. But I set them too, and they've started! So shocked! We'll see what happens on the 29th, that's when they're due.
My replacements get shipped the 25th, so that they won't be involved in this staggered hatch. But right now, I'm 6 for 6 and that's surprising!
But I'll hopefully have a little yellow duckling on the 22nd, calling me momma for 2 days while we wait on the next one. Then the 24th, 25th, and 29th. Awful staggering. I'm sitting on my hands trying not to buy another incubator, I think they'll be ok so long as I set the egg that's due into a "hatching tray".
Last fall had 12 Wheaten Penedesencas (sp?), 24 Blue/Black/Splash Marans, and 4 Golden Lakenvelders. I only ended up with 1 splash pullet, 1 black pullet, 3 Golden Lakenvelder pullets, and one golden cockerel. The eggs arrived in perfect condition!
So imagine my surprise when I opened the box of broken duck eggs, and only 6 at that, but have two with veining. That's better odds than that whole mess of chicken eggs, more than half got tossed on day 7 for being clear as clear could be.
But I guess that's how it goes, plan a big 'ol hatch and not much happens, throw a hatch together on a whim and everything you set starts right up. All thanks to that Pekin hen dropping her eggs where ever she feels like it, right on my walking path.
Last time all the ducklings were hens and I had to track down a drake. I wonder what will happen this time? That's so weird, not one boy in the bunch. I was confused for months, wondering if that was really the case. Hatching chickens is better in the sense that you can tell gender earlier. And they're out a week earlier, this extra week thing is killer!
Then I started actually thinking about it... gosh darn it, I need more! So I hopped onto Ebay and bought some Saxony duck eggs. I've since found 3 more eggs, and all 4 are going, with veining at the first candling.
The Saxony eggs arrive, badly damaged! 3 of the 6 were cracked beyond hope, 1 broken yolk and a dislodged air sac. The remaining 2 had dislodged air sacs, in there floating around like bubbles when I candled. But I set them too, and they've started! So shocked! We'll see what happens on the 29th, that's when they're due.
My replacements get shipped the 25th, so that they won't be involved in this staggered hatch. But right now, I'm 6 for 6 and that's surprising!
But I'll hopefully have a little yellow duckling on the 22nd, calling me momma for 2 days while we wait on the next one. Then the 24th, 25th, and 29th. Awful staggering. I'm sitting on my hands trying not to buy another incubator, I think they'll be ok so long as I set the egg that's due into a "hatching tray".
Last fall had 12 Wheaten Penedesencas (sp?), 24 Blue/Black/Splash Marans, and 4 Golden Lakenvelders. I only ended up with 1 splash pullet, 1 black pullet, 3 Golden Lakenvelder pullets, and one golden cockerel. The eggs arrived in perfect condition!
So imagine my surprise when I opened the box of broken duck eggs, and only 6 at that, but have two with veining. That's better odds than that whole mess of chicken eggs, more than half got tossed on day 7 for being clear as clear could be.
But I guess that's how it goes, plan a big 'ol hatch and not much happens, throw a hatch together on a whim and everything you set starts right up. All thanks to that Pekin hen dropping her eggs where ever she feels like it, right on my walking path.
Last time all the ducklings were hens and I had to track down a drake. I wonder what will happen this time? That's so weird, not one boy in the bunch. I was confused for months, wondering if that was really the case. Hatching chickens is better in the sense that you can tell gender earlier. And they're out a week earlier, this extra week thing is killer!
