Silkie Duck Thread

[Sally Sunshine]

I was glad to find this thread. I think the advice will be invaluable.
I have incubated about everything under the sun but this will be my first time giving silkie duck eggs a try.

Are they your own eggs? Wish you the best!

 

[MargaretAnneHK]

Thanks and no, they aren't my own eggs, they are going to be shipped so that possibly lessens the hatch-rate even more? I guess it depends on how they are treated in shipment of course!
I will be doing my best!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Teeny silkie ducks.....5 days old, they are skitso and FAST I dont trust kids with them at all for fear they will escape and get dropped or something.
STRONG ducklings!! I want to vent sex them tonight. But they are sooooo adorable!

 

[cmfarm]

How did you last hatch go Sally? I really want to get some silkie ducks. I did find someone who has some a couple hours from me but they don't have the males and females together (said the males where beating up on the females) and they would consider later on putting them together, but it doesn't sound like it will happen. I hate to try and do shipped eggs, they are such a gamble. Last year I got a dozen from someone on ebay and did get one to hatch but it was weak and only lived a few days. I may try and get a pair from Holderead's (I can't remember how to spell it) but they are so expensive and only have adults this year. I did get in touch with someone on BYC about having some ducklings shipped (can't remember who, maybe they are on this thread) but they said they have a lot of local orders and might be able to later on.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

How did you last hatch go Sally? I really want to get some silkie ducks. I did find someone who has some a couple hours from me but they don't have the males and females together (said the males where beating up on the females) and they would consider later on putting them together, but it doesn't sound like it will happen. I hate to try and do shipped eggs, they are such a gamble. Last year I got a dozen from someone on ebay and did get one to hatch but it was weak and only lived a few days. I may try and get a pair from Holderead's (I can't remember how to spell it) but they are so expensive and only have adults this year. I did get in touch with someone on BYC about having some ducklings shipped (can't remember who, maybe they are on this thread) but they said they have a lot of local orders and might be able to later on.

I actually have 6 with external pips this morning, so probably duckies late tonight or tomorrow sometime. I had set 14, one clear and the rest were viable up until now, then they slowly died, I had issues with the chor membrane not reaching the bottom of the egg and they didnt have room to turn and pip. some seem bacteria ridden too.

Will update with pics in a few days, they have alot of stuff they are absorbing, so far so good for the six of them

 

[cmfarm]

I hope everything goes well and we see some duckling pics soon! I have some peking ducklings hatching today too.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I hope everything goes well and we see some duckling pics soon! I have some peking ducklings hatching today too.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

We have 5 strong little stinkers!! I set my alarm to go check on the three unpipped at 1 am, well I thought I did, I went down 1:30 am and had five out and one had body smashed against its pip hole, I prayed it wasnt suffocated, it was.... It tried to get out and couldnt, everything absorbed perfectly, he was still warm and pliable, oh well only the strong survived.

 

[Coyote Night]

Congrats! Looks like a very successful hatch!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Congrats! Looks like a very successful hatch!

it was a stressful hatch, trying to get my goal weight loss, it was a battle for sure. I could have done a lot better, had I known what I know now. But I am very happy with them, now I have seven little squirts! All ducklings made the trip unassisted and are very strong vigorous little ones too so I see a bright future for them! I want to try one more batch and see if I can put everything I have learned as far as incubation together now and share it so that everyone else can see what I have learned in this research and perhaps get an extra chick or two as well in each batch. Promise to write up a article or thread on what I have learned, and I have dove deep into the embryo growth and what is effecting it. I am not so sure its genetics, and I can explain all this later on. But I have proved much with this time around and I want to prove more with one more. But now I dont think I can get eggs, so hopefully I dont forget all the research I did to put into a final batch.

I moved them to the brooder and I just love the ones with eyeliner! lol so cute..... looking at pics can you tell what possible colors they may be? and do you have pics to explain? curious as to what I have! My first two look like they have boy stuff when I vent sexed them so I think they are boys. I didnt check these out yet, dont want to mess with them too much! I am excited for the little buggers!

oh and we moved our first two into the garage so they have tons of room! They are loving it too!
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