I just snuck a peek under BabyDuck and saw six more eggs... a couple are darkening to grey, so I'm not sure anything will come of those, but she hasn't tossed them for being rotten, so here's to being hopeful.
BabyDuck's nest started with 18 eggs. We lost two (she pushed a rotten egg out a few days ago and one hatchling didn't survive). Ten ducklings hatched. Six to go!!
She's still caring for the eggs, drawing them toward her when they get pushed aside, etc. How long should I wait before removing the eggs as duds/infertile?
how cute! i just got 5 baby ducklings a couple days ago! 2 pekins, 1 black swedish, and 1 rouen, and a rouen mix. they are so adorable! congrats on your babies! holly and babyduck will make great mothers! are you keeping all of them?
Sort of... These (and another six in a second nest under hen Echo) will be raised as meat birds. They'll be spoiled and adored along with our other birds until it's "time."
(I'm trying my darnedest to keep from asking hubby if we can keep any, though, where it's our first hatching. *chuckle*)
Echo stayed out of the whole BabyDuck/Holly hatching event, staying instead on her own nest. However, all the babies seem to flock to/under her!! We've since moved Holly out of the hatching house, into the new duck pen, and we're letting Echo and BabyDuck sort things out between the two of them. *chuckle* Next week should be interesting, when Echo's eggs hatch.