Setting eggs today...20th May...anyone else?

[loopy12]

Ducks are harder to hatch in general, and Call ducks are notoriously the hardest ducks to hatch Amy...have you hatched any ducks before? My pekin eggs used to hatch like popcorn - very successful, but they were my own eggs from a very young healthy pair. All other ducks I've found hard. I've never tried calls though. Cayugas were way harder than chicks or pekin ducks (but they were always shipped eggs), and KC's and Saxony I still would only get about half as many hatch as went into the incubator. I would budget on a 50% loss at least with duck eggs normally - because they are hard, and the longer incubation period means more time for things to go wrong. I would recommend starting with at least 6 eggs to have a hope of a duckling or two at the end.

 

[Amykins]

Ducks are harder to hatch in general, and Call ducks are notoriously the hardest ducks to hatch Amy...have you hatched any ducks before? My pekin eggs used to hatch like popcorn - very successful, but they were my own eggs from a very young healthy pair. All other ducks I've found hard. I've never tried calls though. Cayugas were way harder than chicks or pekin ducks (but they were always shipped eggs), and KC's and Saxony I still would only get about half as many hatch as went into the incubator. I would budget on a 50% loss at least with duck eggs normally - because they are hard, and the longer incubation period means more time for things to go wrong. I would recommend starting with at least 6 eggs to have a hope of a duckling or two at the end.

I'm hoping against hope that the other egg is still alive, but I know it doesn't look good. I've hatched chickens in the past, mostly silkies, but these are my first duck eggs. I knew it was going to be difficult, but things were going so well until yesterday.

Strangely, I almost got cayugas, but the call ducks were just so dang cute...

 

[Alaskan]

Amy, when are they due to hatch?

I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER now that I know I only have a week left! *whew*

I have three lighter eggs, one light blue that is a clear..but I have kept in the incubator...because.....because.......I have obviously never had an egg explode . But the other light eggs are olive, so I can see some in there, enough to see that they both look to have live chicks. I am not sure how or why they are alive after everything I have put them through...but I sure do think that they are there.

I am just so happy that this is almost over!!! I think everyone else on here is going to hatch on Monday?

 

[Amykins]

They were due to hatch exactly one week from now. If that one is alive, fingers crossed, that's the due date. But the egg is COMPLETELY dark, and it's way too early for that, if it's alive, to be filling the entire egg shell. I guess only time will tell. ._.

I've got all my hopes resting on that one little egg.

 

[loopy12]

Amykins: fingers crossed for that egg though. Weird its so full so early, but hoping that's a good sign for you.
I recommend Cayugas, if you are going to try again. I adored mine - they are adorable ducklings, they imprint on you hugely and follow you around like devoted disciples, even as adults, and even the males, they will eat from your hand and are so excited to see you when you step outside the house, plus they are so beautiful. I wish I could get them here...

Alaskan...nearly over, nearly over...

Mine are into lockdown tonight, due on Monday. I hate day 19 most of the whole thing. Nothing to see, nothing to touch.

 

[Amykins]

This is probably just my inner nerd talking, but I think lockdown is akin to when a space mission comes back, the transmission goes silent and you don't know if they're home safe until the very end.

 

[loopy12]

This is probably just my inner nerd talking, but I think lockdown is akin to when a space mission comes back, the transmission goes silent and you don't know if they're home safe until the very end.

I'm going to go out for the day tomorrow, avoid the period of radio silence, then will spend all day Sunday checking for pips, and getting increasingly snappy with my family when there's no signs of life.
Should've seen me last hatch when everything got delayed a day due to temp issues...by the beginning of day 22 I was tearing my hair out.

 

[Gofygure]

Oh, I didn't see this thread before now! I have 11 eggs going on lockdown this evening for a June 10/11 hatch date: five under a broody, six in a mini-bator. They're all out of a Sussex daddy with a few Cochin and sex-link mixes thrown in for variety. I both love and dread this part of the hatch- there's nothing left to do but wait and take a look every time I walk past. Good luck everyone!

 

[Alaskan]

Ack! I am feeling frustration with you all! Just get it over with already!!!!!!

 

[loopy12]

Welcome Gofygure...I'm locking down at the same time as you with a similar number of eggs (12 or 13 - haven't candled yet)...good luck! Keep us updated!