Questions about different duck breeds

[Papaye]

...I just removed the 5 eggs (Khaki Campbell) I had let to my hen, in case the ducklings inside were still living...

After moving my hen, the 2 ducklings, and the 5 eggs in the run, my hen just decided to not sit on the eggs anymore... or at least : to not sit long enough on them to keep them warm.

I think they were actually already dead, so we actually did suffer no loss...

But just in case... before getting rid of the eggs, I have candled them one last time, and : 3 eggs had a liquid (blood?) inside of them, 1 was dark with a small air sac, and 1 had a smaller air sac and three holes (air?) body-level...

Yesterday, though : no liquid was moving inside the eggs, and they actually looked fine...

...Still, I did not have any other choice than to give up hope these eggs would hatch : indeed, not only the hen abandoned them... but since they were not warm to the touch anymore, I could only assume the ducklings inside were dead.

Honestly, I'm disapointed about these eggs. But I'm disaponted with myself...
Indeed : I now can only regret to not have done more to help the ducklings that could have been born if only I had an incubator, or just known better...

...At least, I (still) got TWO living ducklings from the eggs. And I'm happy with them (of course!)...

(And I know the person I bought the eggs from is fiable, so not only I don't feel too worried about the 14 eggs I bought from them and then put underneath a broody hen, but I also probably will buy from them again, so I can get more Khaki Campbell ducklings.)

They are adorable

They are.

They still are so little... but I feel they(already) look different than Indian Runners ducklings...?

(I love the Khaki Campbell duckling's colour!)

They sure are cutie pies!!! I know you will enjoy watching them grow, that is the fun part.

You are so right...!!

 

[Papaye]

Hello.

Here are my now 10-days-old Cayuga and Khaki Campbell ducklings :

Hard to take any good picture, since their mama doesn't want me to get close to them...
But at least, I could take one where we can see the bib on the Khaki Campbell duckling's throat!

I have never seen any Khaki Campbell with a white patch on the throat in real life... but I knew they existed, given I had already seen a picture before...

(And yes : I'm pretty sure my Khaki Campbell baby is purebred.)

My little Cayuga seem to have less and less yellow on the chest as the days go by, but I can not be sure...

...I'm really happy with these two ducklings : they don't seem to be so afraid of me... and I say that even though I can not get close to them - but it is ONLY because their mama won't like me until they are independant...

Today, I still have bought eggs from the one who sold my these two ducklings' eggs.

...I have bought 12 eggs :
- 6 Khaki Campbell eggs,
- 4 Blue Duclair eggs,
- 2 Black Duclair eggs.

(I actually wanted to buy Orpington eggs instead of Duclair eggs, but the seller did not have any today...)

I think I should received the eggs on Thursday, and I hope to at least get more Khaki Campbell ducklings from them!

I also hope ducks from so much different breeds will really get along.

(And I am at least being carefully by choosing only medium-sized duck, so that none would be hurt because of mating...
...I actually would want to add some Black or Blue East Indie ducks and some various coloured Call ducks to my flock, but I am worried my drakes would end up hurting the hens...)

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

My little Cayuga and Khaki Campbell ducklings are growing up fine.

I'm lucky none of them died, since ducklings can die suddenly for whatever reason...

Here they are, at ALMOST 3-weeks-old :

My Cayuga duckling has already lost most of his yellow fluff (on the chest), so he is now almost entirely black :

And since they are bigger now, it is easier to take picture of the white patch on my Khaki Campbell duckling's throat :

...Voilà.
Just to update pictures about these wonderful babies...!!

My next ducklings - Cayuga and Indian Runner ducks - should be born from Monday 15th...
I am patiently waiting...

Nevertheless : I have found an emptied egg 3-days-ago - just in front of my broody Medicis -, and there was blood inside...
(So, duckling clearly was developing before being eaten...)

I thought until then the animals that steals the eggs underneath my broody hens were snakes, since I found two of them recently... but a snake could NOT reach this specific hen and her eggs, so... maybe rats?

At any rate, for the time being, I am waiting. Hoping no more egg will be eaten...

I have currenty two broody hens sitting on eggs, and a third one that will also sit on ducks eggs when I receive them (Thursday if I am lucky...?).
I bought 16 eggs for her (she is a Brahma hen) :
- 5 Saxony eggs,
- 4 Blue Duclair eggs,
- 3 Black Duclair eggs,
- 2 Khaki Campbell eggs,
- 2 (type) Haut Volant* eggs.

* I don't know how you would call Haut Volant ducks in English.
Translation would be "High Flyer ducks"...
...They are bigger than Mallard, but I really don't know a lot of more about these ducks...?

(...I think I actually will eventually get rid of these 2 Haut Volant eggs, and so, let my hen sit on 14 eggs instead of 16.)

 

[Miss Lydia]

When I look up Haut Volant it takes me to clothing. lol

Your ducklings are precious

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

When I look up Haut Volant it takes me to clothing. lol

I finally found some more informations about Haut Volant ducks...!!

The breed comes from a cross between Mallard ducks and Captive-reared birds (breed not specificied) that are used specifically for hunting - early 20th century... and is originated from Scandinavians countries, The Neverlands and Germany.

Haut Volant ducks are slightly bigger and more compact than Mallard ducks, and exist in various colours : apparently 20 colours are already approved in France - and the exact same being for Crested Haut Volant ducks.

(...Now, I just have to find out how Haut Volant ducks are called in English...!!)

Your ducklings are precious

Yes, they are.

Thank you!

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

I just noticed my Cayuga duckling letting some quacks while peeping, so I thought to update with a picture...

Thus, my now 25-days-old Cayuga and Khaki Campbell ducklings :

Both of these adorables babies are girls.
(I have known my Khaki Campbell duckling was a girl for two or three days.)

I first thought my Cayuga duckling would be a boy, since the emerging feathers are already so shiny...
...and is it normal, even for a Cayuga?

I ask, because my other ducklings tend to have a very shiny juvenile plumage... but for them, I'm pretty sure it is because I mix food grade Diatomaceous Earth to their feed - so they can grow stronger and more beautiful...

But what about Cayuga?
Do they normally have a shiny juvenile plumage, or mine has it because of DE...?

...Though Cayuga are popular, I have found finding pictures of them - especially of juvenile and hens - is not easy...!!

In any case... I did not care if my Cayuga would be a girl or a boy, but I'm glad my Khaki Campbell is a girl : she is going to give me eggs all year round, and I need(ed) it.
(...I so plan to make my next Bûches de Noël with duck eggs...!!)

 

[PatriciafromCO]

Love my appleyard ducks. Good layers, love to forage,good buggers, even mice, not distructive, Good family group for hatchlings,Happy, cute as a button. My group walked in the house this morning to see if any of the dogs left food in their bowls. Can't fly.

 

[Papaye]

Love my appleyard ducks. Good layers, love to forage,good buggers, even mice, not distructive, Good family group for hatchlings,Happy, cute as a button. My group walked in the house this morning to see if any of the dogs left food in their bowls. Can't fly.

Are they so friendly...?
(Thank you for telling me that : I like happy ducks!)

Hmmm... I actually like this breed, but I don't think I have ever seen any Appleyard duck in real life!

What I do know is just what is said : Appleyard drakes can become very heavy. So much so I would be afraid to have one mating with my Indian Runner girls...
(I would like to verify that by myself, but I don't know where to find Appleyard ducks in France.)

Your ducks sound cute.
Don't hesitate to post pictures to brag about them!!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Your ducks are beautiful. The Cayuga looks so much like the black runner duck I bought off of a man but mine is not quacking, instead I hear that darn raspy voice as it is a male, lol. Mine is a Runner Duck and it came from a flock of all different types of ducks mixed together so I am not sure what type of Runner other than black with a shinny chest now where the fuzz is starting to get replaced by its feathers. You are fortunate to have 2 Hens.

 

[PatriciafromCO]

Are they so friendly...?
(Thank you for telling me that : I like happy ducks!)

Hmmm... I actually like this breed, but I don't think I have ever seen any Appleyard duck in real life!

What I do know is just what is said : Appleyard drakes can become very heavy. So much so I would be afraid to have one mating with my Indian Runner girls...
(I would like to verify that by myself, but I don't know where to find Appleyard ducks in France.)

Your ducks sound cute.
Don't hesitate to post pictures to brag about them!!

Friendly ( am not one to cuddle with them, if I need to handle them they are very confident and trusting to sit in your lap doing first aid stuff. They respond very well learning hand signals and words. (any time of the day If I need it , I can tell them "barn" or "follow me" and they will do it) lol they all have the same name (duck duck lol) they will respond to calling them. If my post is still there I shared them in the Duck thread.