Support Group for Abused Duck Keepers

[New duck mommy 2021]

I only have the one Rouen/Mallard Drake that is not too big and then the 4 little Call Drakes. I have seen them try to mate with some of my Ducks but I don't think they were successful. I do have my 2 California Mallards sitting on at least 12 eggs but I am not sure if they are all fertile. I think at least some are. One was thrown out of the nest and eaten by one of them. They have been together since birth and get along well and since they are separated by netting from the rest of the flock they seem to be keeping each other company. I have seen one of the Calls trying to mate them before so the babies will all be on Jerry Springer if they hatch saying "Whose My Daddy???" LOL

I have the same issue with Jerry Springer and my flock
Heck I don’t even know who mom is I just guess
I think my 2 smallest girls are the ones who are laying the smaller 68-72 ish grams
I have one girl who lays close to 85-88 everyday. Not sure who but guessing it’s one of my 3 Swedish girls the rest are 75-83
And those biggest eggs are not double yolk either it’s just a huge egg
I have 4 schools hatching
One started last Wednesday and has 12 eggs. I will be to check them tomorrow to see fertility
One starts this Wednesday
Then April 26 and may 9
They all have homes when hatched
The may 9 is going to have extra eggs I’m buying as I want a few Ancona’s added to my flock then the rest of the Ancona’s are going to my brothers farm
I love watching how excited the classrooms get to hatch babies

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Thanks, I was concerned if the duckling is malpositioned it might be a foot trying to kick out of the shell and not the beak. Could that be possible?

The bruise is usually from baby hitting the vein to get out
The reason we don’t see bruising in the air cell is the membrane isn’t in it just against it
So when they hit the vein to pip in we don’t see a bruise or sometimes we will see a bright yellow look along it after they internal

 

[Isadora]

We're going to get a bit chilly tonight so I gave all the babies extra straw to snuggle down in. They were all very excited about it. "Fresh straw, yay!"

 

[Corbdee]

Look at how big they are getting . Their bills used to be after the size of their head but now they’re the same size.
Also almost set them down on a nope rope, but moved them to an area with “weeds” and hoses. I took both pictures with my phone, but I’ll upload my camera pictures later for the one I just took.
Yesterday
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2 weeks ago, can you tell who is who? Blackberry, mango, and figgy.
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Awwww. Speaking of a nope rope, you'll never believe what I found this morning in the duckling/broody enclosure

 

[Corbdee]

Those pictures are great!

"Nope rope" is that what we're calling them these days!

I think it's from this digital presentation app ad .

Also sometimes the ducklings mouth breathe, do you think it’s fine? Their bedding is large wood shavings and this is the temperature and humidity for the week. They keep knocking the thing over though, I keep it at the front leg of their brooder plate.

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Mine start to do that at around 2 weeks. I used to think they were hot but they were doing it constantly. I checked mine frequently but they were perfectly fine, I'd imagine it's just a phase but maybe @New duck mommy 2021 knows something else.

 

[Corbdee]

Awwww. Speaking of a nope rope, you'll never believe what I found this morning in the duckling/broody enclosure

A 5ft black snake. He was just sleeping there in a loop about 6 feet from the entrance to the next box. When we killed him and saw what was inside of him we saw he ate the only other egg the ducks were sitting on out of the 2 left . At first I thought he ate the duckling that they hatched last night, too because as far as I could see he wasn't in there. But then when the duck further back stood up I saw him, alive and well. Good mamas, you hid him so well the snake couldn't find him either.

So now I'm at the next stage of this. They're done sitting. I can tell they were looking everywhere for the egg. They're still sitting, though, even though baby is completely dry as of this morning. When will they get up?

Also I have a thread with more questions, I'll post the link in a second.

 

[Corbdee]

How soon after ducklings hatch do hens start laying again? (link)

 

[Luv Ducks]

How soon after ducklings hatch do hens start laying again?

I had one start laying when the babies were only three weeks old. It was my Mallard Hen. She was 2 at the time. Now she is sitting on another clutch of about 12 eggs with her sister.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

We're going to get a bit chilly tonight so I gave all the babies extra straw to snuggle down in. They were all very excited about it. "Fresh straw, yay!"

Its suppose to be 40 tonight and 27 tomorrow i may just move my ducklings back inside. It was finally 80 degrees

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I think it's from this digital presentation app ad .

Mine start to do that at around 2 weeks. I used to think they were hot but they were doing it constantly. I checked mine frequently but they were perfectly fine, I'd imagine it's just a phase but maybe @New duck mommy 2021 knows something else.

They could be a bit warm
I found by 2 weeks mine were at about 75 ish and by 3 they stopped using the heat completely