The Migratory/Ornamental Waterfowl INFO Thread

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

when you have to do that, go VERY slow with it, if you notice ANY blood stop and give it some time, if it's bleeding, it hasnt gone long enough to be ready to hatch. Also never pull them from the shell, unless they have dried to it. Open the end and let them do it on their own from there, this avoids tearing and blood vessels and causing that extreme bleeding.

 

[exoticduckluvr]

Hi Aubrey
I did that this afternoon when I discover that 2 had died in the shell so tonight I took them out since they had made no progression at all.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

yep if tey go over 24 hours, it's usually good to help them along. But like I said, some are just lagging behind, so go slow and watch for bleeding. I usually slowly pick away at the shell in a circle just like it would do on it's own. If any blood starts to come out, then stop, it just isnt ready

 

[KansasKid]

Guess i spoke to soon, federal permit came yesterday.

 

[exoticduckluvr]

Congrats KK. I am happy for you

 

[jsvand5]

Are there any other visual clues for differentiating male and female Smew aside from when the Male gets it's breeding plumage? I bought a pair of first year birds last year so they are now second year birds. I figured the male would be going into it's color change by now but so far they both still look pretty identical. The only difference I see right now is that one has a very small whitish dot on the side of it's head. Probably less than the dime. Did I maybe get two females by mistake or do they just change late? I am in Florida so I would assume that may affect things, but my Mergansers and mandarins have been changed for quite a while now.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

they can be a little late here in the south, but would think he would be further along by now. If one is obviously different in the white department than that is the male. In eclipse they are very similar, especially while young

 

[jsvand5]

Quote:
I talked to the person I got them from. He said his have not started to change much yet either and he is in Wisconsin. I was just getting a little concerned that I may have got two females by accident but he seemed pretty confident that they are a pair. I guess I'll know for sure in the next month or so. I'll try to take some pics tomorrow to see what you think.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

yep, Pics would help. The hens should be mainly a greyish color over all, white only on the throat and wing bars, and a red cap to the head. If it's getting white anywhere else, it's your boy

 

[destinduck]

Getting some new bloodlines tommorrow. Another pair of Baikals to go with my trio , A. widgeon trio, a boatload of greenwings and a new pr of white faced. My whitefaced pr died. The male drown during molt and about two weeks later the girl died. The female falcated died several months ago from wasting away,(sorry Donna

) But that is all I lost for the whole year. I am looking hard at Emporer geese for later on.