So, why ARE call ducks hard to hatch?

[MagsC]

Good to read this information about the cresteds and calls, I was wondering as well.

 

[tdgill]

I came to this post thinking it was "why are call ducks hard to CATCH"

lol

 

[BellLisamo]

Quote:
we can answer that too!!! lol

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Since I have started cooling and misting the eggs every day for about 15 min per day from day 4 or 7 up until I move them to the hatcher, my hatch rates have increased.

 

[chickenzoo]

I had a turkey that sat on call duck eggs and hatched them aswell as a banty hen hatch some. The momma duck had a fit and tried to take the ducklings from the banty hen... it was quite the battle, so I had to give the ducklings to the call duck. I felt really bad for the banty hen, she wanted those babies and moped for days.

 

[Feathered Wings]

I hatched my Calls last year and used the Dry Incubation Method and didn't mist them or really do anything Candled on the 7,14,and 21 day and didn't open the incu after that and i had all but one of the 5 not hatch.
They hatched on their own with no help from me but it takes a long time for them to hatch.

I have always wondered if the people who have problems with them hatching that if it's a genetic thing.
I learned a long time ago not to help chicks out of the shell because if they are too weak to hatch their offspring will also have the same problem.

Could be a genetic weakness passed down from one generation to another

 

[TennesseeTruly]

Last summer when I got some Call eggs I was told that they were difficult to hatch and the ones that I got, were. They all made it to hatch, pipped and then died. I was crushed.

But this winter I have gotten 2 dozen Call eggs. All that made it to hatch date...hatched. All the others have hatched. I don't know if the summer humidity has something to do with it but right now I have 9 ducklings that hatched last week. I had a dozen eggs, 2 weren't fertile and 1 was a quitter.

I also have 7 ducklings that hatched right before Christmas.

I haven't misted the eggs, I haven't cooled them down. I've treated them exactly like I do my chicken eggs, except with higher humidity.

Laurie

 

[Feathered Wings]

Quote:
That Is great to hear and like you i treated mine just like my chicken eggs.

Maybe my genetic thinking isn't that far off if the first eggs you set last summer didn't hatch But the ones you just hatched did fine.
Had a man who had been raising chickens 50 years tell me to never help a chick hatch he said if you do you will be helping them from now on.

I'm collecting eggs from my Calls right now and will be setting them when i collect enough hoping the breeder line is a strong one.

 

[1lpoock]

Feathered Wings and Tenessee Truly: Did you both hatch calls that were pet quality or show quality. I'm wondering if the pet quality ones are easier to hatch?

 

[CallDuckLover]

Baby Call ducklings have trouble hatching through the tough, hard eggshell because they have such tiny, small bills.
I have heard that you can try misting the eggs with water. This might help them hatch.