Preparing to set call and pekin duck eggs! Hatch day should be March 4, 2021 if all goes well!

[Miss Lydia]

Here’s the final count from Cami’s hatch. She ended up with 5. Four little black bibs and one that appears to be a blue fawn. She had one that internally pipped but never externally pipped. I went in to make a safety hole but it was too late.

mom moving the whole family to a little house with a heatlamp. Pictures soon!

Spoiler: Eggtopsy Cami’s little baby

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How precious. Sorry it didn’t make it.Congrats on the littles and tell Cami congrats too!

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

I usually have one late one. If you give a safety hole without it being internally pipped, it will shrink wrap.

Ok thanks. I will wait and hope for the best.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

How precious. Sorry it didn’t make it.Congrats on the littles and tell Cami congrats too!

Thanks! It’s ok. I will definitely tell Cami congrats! She is a wonderful momma and she brought them out of the nest for the first time! Here’s some photos of her and the littles!

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

I will soon be moving them all to a house. Under my shelf just isn’t the best spot for them.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

I just love this picture! I’m thinking I’ll get a print and frame it!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Here’s the final count from Cami’s hatch. She ended up with 5. Four little black bibs and one that appears to be a blue fawn. She had one that internally pipped but never externally pipped. I went in to make a safety hole but it was too late.

mom moving the whole family to a little house with a heatlamp. Pictures soon!

Spoiler: Eggtopsy Cami’s little baby

View attachment 2591669View attachment 2591670

No heat lamp is necessary.
They don't need it. In fact I would worry they would get too hot. You don't wanna deal with pasty butt and or dehydration.

Advice? I have a baby with no definite internal pip yet. Shadowing is visible though. However I can hear the it tapping on the shell. Should I add a small safety hole. No bruising or anything. This baby is on the same day as the two that hatched. Is it possible this one is malpositioned too?

It Might be.
My humble opinion is that unless or until you have a good idea where the bill is I would leave it alone.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

No heat lamp is necessary.
They don't need it. In fact I would worry they would get too hot. You don't wanna deal with pasty butt and or dehydration.

It Might be.
My humble opinion is that unless or until you have a good idea where the bill is I would leave it alone.

Ok thanks for the help! I was just going to turn the heatlamp on because tonight it is supposed to be below freezing. Do you think that they’ll be ok without one?

I will leave the egg be and see how it goes.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Broody raised ducklings are just hardier than incubator babies.
If given the chance she would have them right out there swimming on day one no matter the temp.
The main thing to be concerned about is how tiny the babies are.
They can squeeze through the tiniest cracks I swear.
but somehow they never seem to be able to figure out how to go back through the little crack they squeezed out of to get back to their mama

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Ok thanks for the help! I was just going to turn the heatlamp on because tonight it is supposed to be below freezing. Do you think that they’ll be ok without one?

I will leave the egg be and see how it goes.

I really do think they would be fine without it. But I don't want you to go against your instincts..
Depends on the size of the house you're going to have them in and what kind of bulb you're using.
I would not get it any warmer in there than what your daytime temperature is going to be.
Mamma will keep them warm underneath her. It is good for them to be under her getting her oil spread on their down.

 

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

Broody raised ducklings are just hardier than incubator babies.
If given the chance she would have them right out there swimming on day one no matter the temp.
The main thing to be concerned about is how tiny the babies are.
They can squeeze through the tiniest cracks I swear.
but somehow they never seem to be able to figure out how to go back through the little crack they squeezed out of to get back to their mama

Thanks so much for the great advice. I think I’ll leave them without but if they seem cold I’ll turn it on. They can! I found one this morning had found a tiny gap in the fence and escaped! Peeping up a storm, I put it right back in with her. I couldn’t even see the gap!
I’m new to this, as these are my first broody raised ducklings. I’ve always had jumbo pekins till I got the calls last year. The Jumbo pekins just don’t go broody often.
I bet she’ll take them swimming this week! Once it warms up a bit I’ll let them go in the outdoor pen that I have all blocked off.