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

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

@HeatherKellyB I’ve got my fingers crossed for your little babies! Aztecs are gorgeous!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@HeatherKellyB I’ve got my fingers crossed for your little babies! Aztecs are gorgeous!

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it. I agree about them being gorgeous! I didn't even know about these beauties until recently. I figured they'd make wonderful flockmates with Calls since they're just a tiny bit larger. I was told yesterday that I should treat this hatch like a Call hatch and anticipate the need to assist. Apparently at this point they still have a lot of Call qualities (obviously I'm good with that) They've already decided they're going to hatch on a Call duck time-line. The eggs were about the same size as @WVduckchick call eggs. A lot of the pictures I see show them with the short call bill Of course I'll be separating them and only using the ducks that represent well in the event of planned reproduction. Otherwise I'm hoping for one big happy flock of gorgeous Calls and Aztec's. Any possibility of seasonal separation won't be anytime in the near future after I get them all integrated. I've still got to get these out of their shell, so I'm getting way ahead of myself here in my rambling. I am so excited!


I know that you @FunnyfarmMidwest have a crested duck. Is it a Crested Pekin? After looking at the Call Duck Color charts you so kindly shared with me, I noticed some crested ducks in the pictures. So there is a such thing as a "Crested Call Duck"? Oh my gosh! Does anyone here have any?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Today has been so stressful (not anything to do with chickens, ducks, or hatching). I feel so tense, stressed and overwhelmed with life. I am so grateful for this site, and especially this thread. This is one of the few places that makes me feel better. I apologize if I'm being cheesy but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here. I really appreciate everyone of you and really love seeing your adorable ducks and ducklings and talking about them. Please don't let me bring anyone down in the dumps. I just wanted to let you all know how grateful I am to chat and interact with each of you. The videos, pictures and interactions are therapeutic and I am grateful. Plus, I love learning about all kinds of duck stuff

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@FunnyfarmMidwest do you have turkeys?

 

[Conan]

Today has been so stressful (not anything to do with chickens, ducks, or hatching). I feel so tense, stressed and overwhelmed with life. I am so grateful for this site, and especially this thread. This is one of the few places that makes me feel better. I apologize if I'm being cheesy but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here. I really appreciate everyone of you and really love seeing your adorable ducks and ducklings and talking about them. Please don't let me bring anyone down in the dumps. I just wanted to let you all know how grateful I am to chat and interact with each of you. The videos, pictures and interactions are therapeutic and I am grateful. Plus, I love learning about all kinds of duck stuff

you're my favorite rambler, Heather. I don't think you could bring anyone down if you tried.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Today has been so stressful (not anything to do with chickens, ducks, or hatching). I feel so tense, stressed and overwhelmed with life. I am so grateful for this site, and especially this thread. This is one of the few places that makes me feel better. I apologize if I'm being cheesy but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here. I really appreciate everyone of you and really love seeing your adorable ducks and ducklings and talking about them. Please don't let me bring anyone down in the dumps. I just wanted to let you all know how grateful I am to chat and interact with each of you. The videos, pictures and interactions are therapeutic and I am grateful. Plus, I love learning about all kinds of duck stuff

Here. Kiss a dux, you'll feel better.

Or, here's a toad if you'd like to try for a prince instead

 

[WVduckchick]

Perfect Shaw!
Heather, when you get to feeling down, just let us know and we always have plenty of duck/duckling pics to cheer you up.

There are crested calls. I had a crested Black Swedish a few years ago. Then I learned about why they are crested, and that it’s not advisable to mate them together, so I never got any more. But they are friggin adorable.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

you're my favorite rambler, Heather. I don't think you could bring anyone down if you tried.

Thank you for this. You're so kind. This warmed my heart so much

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Here. Kiss a dux, you'll feel better.
View attachment 2702712


Or, here's a toad if you'd like to try for a prince instead View attachment 2702721

This is hilarious I choose that absolutely adorable duckling! So flipping precious!

I think it's weird that I just recently learned the difference between a toad and a frog. Since we live right in front of a good sized pond, we would come across the hoppy long legged things often. My daughter (9 years old) kept correcting me and I finally asked her the difference. So now, she always offers a reassurance after I call it correctly or happily corrects me anytime I'm wrong. She likes to chase me while holding tree frogs because I do not want those things near me to give them a chance to use their suction cup toes to cling onto me I'm a bit ridiculous, if I'm being honest. I don't like anything flying or jumping around my head (except for my bantam girls that love to fly up and land in a messy bun on top of my head) and face so I can be a little dramatic about it

All of that to say, I choose dux smooch

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Perfect Shaw!
Heather, when you get to feeling down, just let us know and we always have plenty of duck/duckling pics to cheer you up.

There are crested calls. I had a crested Black Swedish a few years ago. Then I learned about why they are crested, and that it’s not advisable to mate them together, so I never got any more. But they are friggin adorable.
View attachment 2702752View attachment 2702753

Thank you! Coming here always makes me feel so much better.
Miss Lydia told me about crested ducks and shared a story about one in particular. That duck had a lot of neurological issues that stemmed from his crest. The story was absolutely heartbreaking! If I remember correctly the duck suffered with seizures and other problems. So risky but they're so flipping adorable! Your crested duck is gorgeous! Hopefully your duck didn't suffer with any issues because it's so incredibly cute!!! I can't imagine a little crested call. Be still my ♥