The Duck Thread

[RedIII]

Eeeeee. I am so happy for both of you. Have you told her the news?

Did you get those new duckies?

Just remember it may take time for them to bond so watch for aggression you may have to let them get use to each other through fencing for a while. Update when you can.

Yep, got the newbies and they are very friendly and cute. My girl Jill is ticked, though. I had to put the two new ducklings in a separate cage where they can see each other because she was hissing and chasing them around trying to bite them. Not cool. We'll give it a few days and try again

Sorry for your loss... I've lost a couple this way . Even though they *can* get out, sometimes they don't they don't, and then they become water logged and succumb to hypothermia, especially if their pool is something man-made.

-Kathy

Thank you. I think I am going to make some improvements on the pond just as a precaution. Nice BIG ramps in and out and such.

 

[Julie Birb]

Aaah, friendly and cute. I am happy for you. Hopefully Jill comes around with time and the separate quarters in visual proximity of each other make for a smooth transition into integration.

 

[BooeyBird]

Yep, got the newbies and they are very friendly and cute. My girl Jill is ticked, though. I had to put the two new ducklings in a separate cage where they can see each other because she was hissing and chasing them around trying to bite them. Not cool. We'll give it a few days and try again

Thank you. I think I am going to make some improvements on the pond just as a precaution. Nice BIG ramps in and out and such.

I would love to see pictures, I am trying to determine the age of my two ducklings

 

[Booper38]

Hoping someone can help me...my daughter's class is hatching duck eggs. They go into lockdown tomorrow morning. Today I went in to let the teacher know what needed to be done and she was gone for the weekend. The substitute panicked. I told her I would come back at the end of the day and take the rotating tray out, fill the water reservoir and put parchment paper down. It is a Brinsea Mini Advanced. When I went back at the end of the day and took the eggs out to prepare the incubator one had either pipped through or has a tiny break. Who knows, because I haven't been monitoring them. When I saw that I went to find a teacher that might be able to check them over the weekend and couldn't find anyone. I made the decision I better bring them home. Hope that was the right thing to do. I have them home but am now wondering if I can take them back to school on Monday morning. They are due to start hatching on Tuesday. I would love for the second graders so experience them hatching but don't want them to die. They are all growing nicely. Any advice would be so helpful! Thank you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hoping someone can help me...my daughter's class is hatching duck eggs. They go into lockdown tomorrow morning. Today I went in to let the teacher know what needed to be done and she was gone for the weekend. The substitute panicked. I told her I would come back at the end of the day and take the rotating tray out, fill the water reservoir and put parchment paper down. It is a Brinsea Mini Advanced. When I went back at the end of the day and took the eggs out to prepare the incubator one had either pipped through or has a tiny break. Who knows, because I haven't been monitoring them. When I saw that I went to find a teacher that might be able to check them over the weekend and couldn't find anyone. I made the decision I better bring them home. Hope that was the right thing to do. I have them home but am now wondering if I can take them back to school on Monday morning. They are due to start hatching on Tuesday. I would love for the second graders so experience them hatching but don't want them to die. They are all growing nicely. Any advice would be so helpful! Thank you!

I think you did the right thing someone needs to be there in case one may need help and also to watch humidity and temp. I don't hatch in incubators but I would not want to know ducklings were hatching and no one was available to help if needed. I know this is a wonderful expereince for children what what happens to all these ducklings and chicks that hatch in class rooms across the country? Just curious.

I think as far as taking them back you'll have to see how it goes over the weekend and make that decision. You want to know someone will be there to keep an eye on hatching, ducklings don't pop out like chicks do it takes quite a bit of time from internal pip to external zip.

Hope they all hatch. please keep us updated. And Welcome to BYC!

What is the parchment paper for? if to put for the ducklings to walk on slick paper can cause spraddle legs use rubber shelving for lining cupboards gives them traction.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Originally Posted by Miss Lydia

Just remember it may take time for them to bond so watch for aggression you may have to let them get use to each other through fencing for a while. Update when you can.

Yep, got the newbies and they are very friendly and cute. My girl Jill is ticked, though. I had to put the two new ducklings in a separate cage where they can see each other because she was hissing and chasing them around trying to bite them. Not cool. We'll give it a few days and try again

Of course she is,she just lost her buddy and now you have done WHAT brought in two outsiders. keep them together like you have them now so they can see each other and when you can do it take out some treats something Jill really likes and let the newbies out with her toss treats out first though to distract Jill let them interact as long as Jill isn't injuring the new kids. Hopefully after 2-4 days they will all be best pals. What is the age difference between Jill and the new ducklings?

Good idea on working on the pool don't want to lose any more.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would love to see pictures, I am trying to determine the age of my two ducklings

Can you post pics?

 

[duckies1230]

I have 2 pekin ducks that are close to a month old, the other night the one got trapped inside the watering jug, it was horrible, I thought she was gonna die or at least break something. Thankfully, she is ok. I had to hold both of them for hours till they were calm.she is usually cuddly,loves laying in my lap. Now starting this morning, every time I pick her up, she poo poos all over me, its very runny and doesn't want held. Do you think she's traumatized? Or is sumthin else wrong? And why did it take days since her accident to start acting this way? I have no idea what's going on. My camera broke or I would post pics. Plz respond someone! Thx

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 2 pekin ducks that are close to a month old, the other night the one got trapped inside the watering jug, it was horrible, I thought she was gonna die or at least break something. Thankfully, she is ok. I had to hold both of them for hours till they were calm.she is usually cuddly,loves laying in my lap. Now starting this morning, every time I pick her up, she poo poos all over me, its very runny and doesn't want held. Do you think she's traumatized? Or is sumthin else wrong? And why did it take days since her accident to start acting this way? I have no idea what's going on. My camera broke or I would post pics. Plz respond someone! Thx

It may not have anything to do with the water jug they just go through stages and being afraid of us is a biggie. I have even had my adult ducks who have been hatched and raised here poop on me. and runny poop is pretty normal for ducks. when you say she got stuck in the water jug did she swallow alot of water or just was stuck? How is she other wise interacting with the other duck eating drinking? all poop runny? actually my ducks usually have more runny than solid poop they eat all kinds of bugs, plant material etc. plus their feed what feed are you using? If she is acting normal duckling in every other way then your probably just seeing the dreaded Oh my gosh is she going to eat me phase. Hang in there and just try and sit quietly with them talking softly the phase will pass. And treats what treats are you giving them?

 

[Booper38]

We are lucky that we live a farm so when these guys get big enough they will have a good place to live with water! I decided not to put the parchment paper down. My Brinsea advised it but I was worried they would slip are too much and it might cause problems. I will just see what is going on Monday morning. The teacher really wanted to do this but I feel like they may have been neglected. I get a little crazy when I am doing it at home to make sure everything is perfect. Hopefully they will be ok.