North Carolina

[NCgirl21]

Looks like you've got a bunch of little Pearl cuties! What a good Mama - this is unusual to be sure!

She is an amazing mama! We had such terrible thunderstorms quite a few nights when she was still sitting on the nest and at one point her nest flooded where we had to help her get the water out and she never quit or abandoned her eggs (even though the four boys ditched her!). We were definitely mesmerized by her determination to hatch them! After half of them hatched she would just watch them and made sure they tucked in and even our four boys would stand around her and guard her and the babies! Then last night it started raining and she opened her wings and they all ran in and you just saw 18 pairs of little feet under her body! Absolutely amazing to witness! And every keet she hatched made it! So proud of her!

Unfortunately though, we've had the ad on Craigslist for over 24 hours and no one has been in touch with us yet I thought the same, that it'd be no problem selling them, so I'm really surprised! And a little concerned because 18 is a lot to keep on top of what we already have!

 

[TarheelBirdy]

She is an amazing mama! We had such terrible thunderstorms quite a few nights when she was still sitting on the nest and at one point her nest flooded where we had to help her get the water out and she never quit or abandoned her eggs (even though the four boys ditched her!). We were definitely mesmerized by her determination to hatch them! After half of them hatched she would just watch them and made sure they tucked in and even our four boys would stand around her and guard her and the babies! Then last night it started raining and she opened her wings and they all ran in and you just saw 18 pairs of little feet under her body! Absolutely amazing to witness! And every keet she hatched made it! So proud of her!

Unfortunately though, we've had the ad on Craigslist for over 24 hours and no one has been in touch with us yet I thought the same, that it'd be no problem selling them, so I'm really surprised! And a little concerned because 18 is a lot to keep on top of what we already have!

It will happen - you will sell them by this weekend, I bet!

 

[dutchbunny83]

I decided to do a candling today since I'm halfway through this hatch.
The eggs are brown and I don't have the best flash light so I didn't want to do it too early and be wrong.
2 of them have blood rings. 5 are questionable, you can definitely see where there are veins on the shell, but they might be early quitters because I didn't see much else.
But 13 of them (to my not very experienced eye) look like there are chicks growing along in there!
So I'm pretty hopeful for this hatch!!!!
Anyone looking for some lavender orpingtons!

 

[dutchbunny83]

Another question-- I've only hatched eggs once, but they all decided to come out at night.
I have 3 blue copper marans eggs in there with my lavender orpingtons I bought from a friend who got them as mail order eggs.
Assuming they all hatch and I don't see them come out, is there a way to tell them all apart at hatching?
In chicks I've seen the blue and lavender tend to look like the same color. They both have clean legs and single combs. I've never had orpingtons before, are there going to be any marks telling them apart or am I going to have to wait a bit.
I'm not entirely convinced the marans are going to hatch, but candling them was impossible since their shells were so dark I couldn't see anything!

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Another question--  I've only hatched eggs once, but they all decided to come out at night.
I have 3 blue copper marans eggs in there with my lavender orpingtons I bought from a friend who got them as mail order eggs.
Assuming they all hatch and I don't see them come out, is there a way to tell them all apart at hatching?
In chicks I've seen the blue and lavender tend to look like the same color.  They both have clean legs and single combs.  I've never had orpingtons before, are there going to be any marks telling them apart or am I going to have to wait a bit.
I'm not entirely convinced the marans are going to hatch, but candling them was impossible since their shells were so dark I couldn't see anything!

I believe you'll be able to tell these, but if you are worried about it, then at lockdown put the Marans in a basket that's upside down, or a lingerie bag, or something where they can move and breathe but not interact with the neighbors.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

NH......the only thing I can think of is to give the ducks a small
coop of their own and let them have some eggs to hatch.........
you could always sell any unwanted chicks....or grow and eat them

OOHH!! A reason to get DH to build another coop!! GOOD IDEA!! Hehe

I agree.....egg eater or snake. I do like the idea of a
dog house as a coop for duck to have a dry place.

What could possibly take/eat 10+ eggs a day without leaving a trace? There are no egg shells in the coop, nothing to indicate that any eggs were eaten - we did have ONE rat snake that hung out around the coop, but he was "carried off" by something - what I have no clue...whatever made the paw print. Bummer!! What do you all do to prevent/discourage egg thievery?? I am really getting bummed here...seems I cannot catch a break with the whole egg laying scenario.

 

[Coop Scoop Boogie]

OOHH!! A reason to get DH to build another coop!! GOOD IDEA!! Hehe
What could possibly take/eat 10+ eggs a day without leaving a trace? There are no egg shells in the coop, nothing to indicate that any eggs were eaten - we did have ONE rat snake that hung out around the coop, but he was "carried off" by something - what I have no clue...whatever made the paw print. Bummer!! What do you all do to prevent/discourage egg thievery?? I am really getting bummed here...seems I cannot catch a break with the whole egg laying scenario.

raccoons would. They travel in family packs and will leave no
shells or anything.........and more than one egg eating hen
could do that.....are they getting enough protein? grain???

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

OOHH!!  A reason to get DH to build another coop!!  GOOD IDEA!!  Hehe
[COLOR=0000FF]What could possibly take/eat 10+ eggs a day without leaving a trace?[/COLOR]  There are no egg shells in the coop, nothing to indicate that any eggs were eaten - we did have ONE rat snake that hung out around the coop, but he was "carried off" by something - what I have no clue...whatever made the paw print.  Bummer!!  What do you all do to prevent/discourage egg thievery??  I am really getting bummed here...seems I cannot catch a break with the whole egg laying scenario.  

[COLOR=008000]raccoons would. They travel in family packs and will leave no[/COLOR]
[COLOR=008000]shells or anything.........and more than one egg eating hen[/COLOR]
[COLOR=008000]could do that.....are they getting enough protein?   grain???[/COLOR]

So could rats or squirrels. They take the whole thing. Possums will eat it all, too.

 

[NewHomesteader2010]

WOW!! So many predator choices!! LOL...now to prevent them from stealing my eggs (as best as possible) what would you all suggest?

CSB - I have changed their feed dish and they REALLY like the set up better so they are eating a LOT more (free feeding - it's available all the time for them)...plus they free range, so I would assume (I know, NEVER assume) that they would be getting enough to eat. I've also been cooking some duck eggs up (when I find them) and feeding them back to them, because I have 2 that are molting and I know that it taxes the system a lot more. They have free access to oyster shells (mixed with crushed egg shells...because I didn't want to compost all those beauties) as well as dirt/sand. So, I would THINK that they are getting enough...

For those of you out and about tonight be careful!! I heard that there is a tornado warning for some counties to the East of me (I think) and the storm is moving in fast. It's pouring here, so I am going to have to bust out the canoe later on!! Be safe everyone!!

 

[wildriverswolf90]

neighbor kids were down here this afternoon, and while I had my back turned they opened the door to my quail pen. Two days ago I got some bobwhites and today both females and the male took off after a Three hour chase we lost all three in woods. I'm so bummed. It took me forever to find jumbo bobwhites. Now I'm back to searching for more.