So has ANYONE had success with incubating shipped wild duck eggs?

[lschin1]

I have read over and over again that it is best to not buy shipped wild duck eggs (like mandarin or wood ducks) for incubation as they don't do well, and have read many peoples failed attempt stories but wanted to hear if anyone has actually had any success. About two summers ago I found out about Mandarin ducks and thought I would LOVE to have some so I bought six eggs off of ebay. NONE developed. I bought them from a breeder that was located in Rhode Island which I now realize was probably a dumb thing to do because I live in Louisiana and that is probably too long of a drive for the eggs, seeing that they have more potential to be damaged. Shortly after, I saw four eggs located in Florida on ebay, so i decided to try again as long as I got them for cheap, which I did. 15$ for the four of them when they usually go about 10 dollars an egg. This time two developed the whole way through but died right when they were suppose to hatch! One died without even pipping and the other internally pipped and then died. I have the Brinsea MIni Advanced incubator and filled both little trays up with water when it was hatch time so the humidity should have been high enough. I have hatched wood duck eggs and mallard eggs in this incubator with no problem (they weren't shipped eggs though). So I am thinking it must have something to do with shipping that affects them later on when they are suppose to hatch, even though they developed the whole way through. So the following spring I gave up on buying shipped duck eggs, but this spring I just HAD to try ONE last time. I know it sounds really stupid and stubborn to keep trying and waisting all that money but i couldn't help it, and the money isn't that big of an issue to me. This will be my last effort though! lol. So, I bought seven eggs off of ebay at an okay price from a breeder in Texas. They all arrived very quickly and safely and I could tell they were really well packaged. Out of the seven eggs, 6 developed but one just died recently after about 13 days of incubation. The remaining 5 are doing good and are due to hatch on the 18th. 13 more days left! The air cells all look good too and weren't damaged in shipping. So we'll have to wait and see what happens! I do still realize the same thing can happen as last time though, but I'll update ya'll if anyone is interested! Anyways, I am interested to know, has anyone else had ANY success hatching shipped duck eggs?

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Stop spending mo eh on their eggs and save for a pair in fall from someone. So much more simple and less aggregating.

 

[lschin1]

yeah true. I just enjoy raising them myself and taming them. And i know a lot of people say you cannot tame these ducks but i have raised wood ducks before and they were tame to me. I could hold them and feed them out of my hand with no problem. I have heard woodies are very similar to mandarins so I am interested to see if i can do the same with these. But like i said, this will be my last time buying eggs if these five don't hatch. I'll just have to buy a pair instead.

 

[lschin1]

well today is the hatch date and two of the five have hatched so far!! the other three are alive still too and I even got a surprise yellow (white) duckling! ill post pictures later

 

[Miss Lydia]

well today is the hatch date and two of the five have hatched so far!! the other three are alive still too and I even got a surprise yellow (white) duckling! ill post pictures later

 

[lovin my birds]

Oh please please post pictures. I love seeing the babies. They are so adorable! I have 12 little ones in my aviary following mamma around and acting all adorable!

 

[destinduck]

Ischin one. Im with you all the way on raising and taming them rascals from the get go. I enjoy having wild type friendly birds. I hope they all hatch for you!

 

[lschin1]

Thanks Destinduck and yeah I have a two and a half week old wood duckling right now and im actually quite surprised at how tame he is. But I guess that is because he has been raised by himself but still... He is not jumpy AT ALL, loud noises dont scare him either, and he doesnt walk AWAY when you walk towards him. He just sits there and waits for you to pick him up, and likes being scratched on the neck and chest. Usually ducks don't like when you walk TOWARDS them even if they are somewhat tame. They'll only come up to you if you are sitting there or not moving too much. Of course he is only two and a half weeks old so things could change. As for the mandarin ducklings a third one has come out his shell! So two more left to hatch. Hopefully I'll be able to get them to eat, but luckily I have the wood duckling to show them how. I'll post pictures whenever all of them have hatched and dried off, which will hopefully be later today, maybe tomorrow.

 

[lschin1]

Here are a picture of some of the ducks! The other two just hatched and are still in the incubator drying off. These were the first two that hatched and they had just hatched in this picture

 

[lschin1]

the larger silver duck is the wood duckling