The Duck Thread

[Miss Lydia]

My duck hen bounces her head up and down while quacking is she telling me off? lol

It's flirting mine do it to the drakes.

 

[jtn42248]

Take them Off Four days before there due date, have the larger end slightly Higher then the smaller end, continue to treat them as normal but do not Lock them down. The reason for this, I have found it helps with upside downers because you are giving them that Extra day to get into the correct position. Three days before hatching day, do not turn them. at all, just sit on your hands and watch nature take its course.. If you continue to turn them, they are going to get into the wrong position causing them to be upside down, or sidewards, or twisted up in that shell..you'll end up with more problems then need too.

So Four days before hatching day take them off the turner lay them with the large end slightly higher, if you were spraying them, continue to do so, if not let just leave them, don't raise that humidity yet though.. then three days before hatching day, lock them down. Raise that humidity..

Good luck..

Thanks. I did put 29 Cayuga eggs in the incubator as of this a.m. Out of the 50+ eggs laid over the past week these were the ones laid in nest as opposed to those just dropped around the pen. I am only guessing that if they put them in a nest they would sit on them if they went broody. But...what do I know? Anyway, they have been mating like rabbits so I am guessing that at least some of them are fertile. Hopefully they will hatch. If I even end up with just two out of 29 I will be happy. Hopefully not just one as then I would have to go out and buy a little duckling buddy. Thanks for the advice. Especially the info about the extra day...makes a lot of sence. I will post more as things develop.

 

[Lacrystol]

Thanks. I did put 29 Cayuga eggs in the incubator as of this a.m. Out of the 50+ eggs laid over the past week these were the ones laid in nest as opposed to those just dropped around the pen. I am only guessing that if they put them in a nest they would sit on them if they went broody. But...what do I know? Anyway, they have been mating like rabbits so I am guessing that at least some of them are fertile. Hopefully they will hatch. If I even end up with just two out of 29 I will be happy. Hopefully not just one as then I would have to go out and buy a little duckling buddy. Thanks for the advice. Especially the info about the extra day...makes a lot of sence. I will post more as things develop.

Actually they are probably collecting those eggs, see ducks will collect eggs, just like you or I, until they have enough to hatch at one time. They do this so that they all arrive together, if they didn't each egg would have a different due date. I don't know the exact time frame of collecting but I would think after a few days if they haven't planted there behinds on that nest permanently then they aren't ready yet. But if you keep taken them away this will discourage them from sitting and they could end up moving to another location to avoid you from stealing there eggs. LOL ducks aren't so dumb...

Perhaps you can put fake eggs in that nest to see if she eventually sits, otherwise, be prepared to follow her around the yard trying to find her new nest. LOL..

One way you can tell if she's preparing a nest to sit on is by the way the eggs are, ducks like to bury there eggs before they leave the nest, if they aren't buried then she's not ready but if they are slightly buried, that's her preparing.. They bury the eggs so that predators don't find and eat them.

 

[hennible]

Well that explains why my ducks are burying their eggs...

 

[Lacrystol]

Well that explains why my ducks are burying their eggs...

LOL, you got a duck preparing???

 

[Amykins]

LOL, you got a duck preparing???

Either that or she thinks she's a mama gator...?

 

[Smurfbrew]

It's flirting mine do it to the drakes.

My hubby calls that the sexy duck dance.

 

[hennible]

LOL, you got a duck preparing???

She has stopped burying them as I have been stealing all of them... I just set 8 eggs in the bator... I had no idea why she was burying them. It's a little cold still for her to be trying to brood babies.

 

[attimus]

My ducks were nesting like two months ago. Crazy birds have no idea what time of year it is. Actually what got me started on byc

 

[ChickyChick2]

Hi Duck Lovers! I would like to get some ducks this summer for our suburban backyard to help with pest control. Seeing as we are not handy AT ALL, does anyone have any suggestions on where I can buy or create a safe duck house and run with minimal building involved?