The Duck Thread

[Miss Lydia]

I actually already did that, and I did see one vein, so I stopped. Since it's moving and seems like it's trying, I haven't messed with it other than to moisten the membrane. I don't want to assist, because so many people have said that the majority of their assists, have died anyway. If it can, I want this little guy to do all the work necessary, like Zeus.

About that other egg that I found with a pip... How could that one have died? I think it was dead before we even saw Zeus this morning. It's now dry and stuck to some of the shell. I haven't opened it or anything, and I'm not sure I really want to. It died with its bill sticking out of the shell. When I candled it, it looked like it had pipped next to the air sac, but not actually in the air sac. So it never internally pipped.

Thats too bad about the one that dies. Hard to know why they die some just do. I'm thinking you may have to keep helping this lil one if you want Zeus to have a friend. just taking enough shell off so it can kick it's way out but the membrane will have to stay moistened or it won't be able to break trough if it gets too dry and hard.

 

[Zombified]

I think you're right, Miss Lydia. He's not attempting to get out, really, just sticking his little bill out of the hole, yawning, and "nibbling" at the membrane. I'm going to give it another hour before I start helping, though. I'm thinking of naming this one Hephaestus, if it survives.

 

[NewToChix]

Question about the ducklings...

We have decided to use a very deep dog house as their pen. It is already set up and has a ramp going from ground to platform then from platform to pen. It is approx. 2 1/2 feet off the ground. We were going to put bumpers or like netting on the sides of the highest ramp so they don't risk falling off, but do you think they will be okay in an elevated pen? Will they know not to jump out? I am a little worried and thinking about just showing them the chicken coop which is closer to ground. The chickens are utterly baffled by the little creatures, but they all seem to be getting along fine.

 

[Amiga]

If you have tallish railings, and the ramp is long enough to be not very steep (I recall 30% being a maximum slope), it might work.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think you're right, Miss Lydia. He's not attempting to get out, really, just sticking his little bill out of the hole, yawning, and "nibbling" at the membrane. I'm going to give it another hour before I start helping, though. I'm thinking of naming this one Hephaestus, if it survives.

So how's it going? and how is Zeus today?

 

[Zombified]

Hephaestus, the little duckling stuck in the egg, is doing quite well. She isn't very vocal, but neither was Zeus, and I'll get to him in a minute, lol. Heph is moving around as much as she can in her little egg. I think her problem is, she's just too big. Her mother was a Mallard(RIP Pyrrhos), and her father is my Welsh Harlequin drake, Erebus. All last night, I carefully chipped away what I could of the shell. Following the assisted hatch post, I did pull away some of the outer membrane, but I didn't touch the inner membrane at all, and I don't plan to, except to keep it moist. I didn't go to sleep until 3am, and woke up at 6am. When I got up, I chipped more away, and was able to almost completely zip the cap off, but I tore some membrane on accident and she bled a little, so I stopped. While I was at work, I called my grandmother and told her to keep the outer membrane moist. My grandmother was a nurse, and I trust her to be careful, gentle, and attentive. She is forgetful, though, and the membranes were both a bit dry when I got home. But I know she moistened them at least once, and I moistened them again when I got home.

Heph was moving quite a bit more when I got home, so I think we're getting closer to her hatching. Which is AWESOME! I haven't even seen her face yet! Lol. Just her little black bill.

Now, onto Zeus. Zeus is doing very well. A lot better than my older ducks did when I got them as three-day-old ducklings(minus Pyrrhos, whom we found as a day- or two-day-old duckling). He's up, alert, seems very interested in eating and foraging. He isn't very vocal, though he will call out rarely if he's suddenly woken up or hears me clicking my tongue. I'm going to take him outside for a short time and take some pictures. Oh! And I also decided to try fermented feed for the new ducklings. I think it's a bit too... "ripe" for his taste(it has been sitting for several days), but he didn't seem overly against eating it.

 

[New-2-Ducks]

1/6 ducklings we just got today!

 

[aurora14]

Awwww, so cute
Let me guess, coming home from post office? lol!

 

[Zombified]

This is Hephaestus! Do you see what I mean about her being too big? Also, that dark part in the lower right "corner" of the egg, is that blood vessels, or the placenta? And is that yolk I see? This is why I've been hesitating to help her too much, because I can't tell what that is.


And Zeus outside! We were only out there for five minutes tops, though. It wasn't as warm as I thought it was, and Zeus was starting to shiver a bit, so I brought him inside.

 

[New-2-Ducks]

Awwww, so cute
Let me guess, coming home from post office? lol!

Ahahaha kind of.. We ordered them from a store in town and they were just shoppe in today hah