The Quack Shack

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I collected our own eggs since the ducks are behaving, laying and looking as they should and we have a drake from exhibition-class parents. For three days I set apart the cleanest eggs and they really are quite clean.

A friend asked me whether I can be sure that the drake has mated all the ducks... So I said well, from what I've seen, it seems likely that he mated all the ducks, all the neighbors' cats and a fox when it came around.

Have the cats and the fox laid any eggs so far?
Cux and Fux might be very interesting animals…

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

For sure I can see how that's a better price and excellent price/performance. But since I have no experience I just consider the difference my tuition in the hatching school and I'm OK with that. When the incubator eventually gives up the ghost I will be a veteran duck parent and will probably be able to hatch them in a shoebox. Here's to that

I had no experience with hatching duxlings at all last year, but then Buffzilla, Buffy and Frida dux decided that sitting on eggs is boring and left me with over 20 eggs in different stages of development. So i learned on the - hatch...
As a wise Movie-Scientist once said: »Life finds a way«

 

[Supercow]

As a wise Movie-Scientist once said: »Life finds a way«

Maybe I'm too much under the influence of working with plants. Let me explain...

Usually when there's talk about how to best go around doing X with the fruit tree/bush Y, it eventually ends up with "but it's gonna be fine, how do they survive in nature, eh?" [sorry Canadians]

The problem here is that the correct answer is: they mostly don't. In nature plants survive by relying on large numbers. A very small subset survives. If you want your specific and lonely 1, 2 or 3 little trees to do well it's quite likely you'll need to do stuff that goes beyond what just happens to happen.

And it's not that different for animals - the numbers are not that super large but the strategy is the same. Yes, the higher you go on the development tree the fewer offspring is in play. But a duck lays an egg every day or so. Maybe very good layers are very bad mothers exactly because there are so many eggs - "meh, eggs are cheap, I'm not gonna care for them".

So maybe this is featuring too strongly in my mind when I think about ducklings and that's why I wanted to have top equipment. Anyway it's here now and it's up to me to make the most out of it

 

[Canadian Wind]

But you will at least equip all of them with little aluminium-foil hats?
View attachment 3786126
And some cool eye-protection:
View attachment 3786127

I am curious as to how they'll react to getting nighttime early...

 

[Canadian Wind]

Usually when there's talk about how to best go around doing X with the fruit tree/bush Y, it eventually ends up with "but it's gonna be fine, how do they survive in nature, eh?" [sorry Canadians]

It's not a proprietary expressing, feel free to use it!

And it's not that different for animals - the numbers are not that super large but the strategy is the same. Yes, the higher you go on the development tree the fewer offspring is in play. But a duck lays an egg every day or so. Maybe very good layers are very bad mothers exactly because there are so many eggs - "meh, eggs are cheap, I'm not gonna care for them".

Plus the fact that we, in all our wisdom (yes, sarcasm), have bred their natural tendencies out of them in the name of the Profit God. It's one of the reasons I'd rather have breeds that go broody even if it means fewer eggs.

So maybe this is featuring too strongly in my mind when I think about ducklings and that's why I wanted to have top equipment. Anyway it's here now and it's up to me to make the most out of it

You need to do what you feel is right for you. We can't all be resourceful like @WannaBeHillBilly ! And we need to also consider our own situation. I purchased two new incubators this year, a MeeF and a Maticoopx, with the funds I had available and could spare at the time. I researched various incubators prior to buying them. I am very happy with the MeeF, which just gave me 18 lovely chicks, and my next batch which is in the Maticoopx is due in a week so we shall see.

 

[Supercow]

Plus the fact that we, in all our wisdom (yes, sarcasm), have bred their natural tendencies out of them in the name of the Profit God. It's one of the reasons I'd rather have breeds that go broody even if it means fewer eggs.

I was thinking that maybe it's a realistic idea to have one Muscovy in the flock who would then be everybody's broody mama. Her own ducklings would be sterile (I think?) but they would also look different so the situation would not arise where I give/sell somebody a "good layer" and they get a mule.

... Actually as it seems now (reading along) a mallard-family drake and a female Muscovy create a hinny which does lay eggs although they won't hatch; I wonder what kind of egg production a Khaki drake would bring into the mix - would it be Khaki superstar level or not.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Guineas are the least tamed birds that you can buy here. - Maybe except Partridges and other game fowl. They need to be conditioned to accept their coop and pen as »home« otherwise they will just go rogue. There are some good videos on YT how to raise the keets to stay. That's one of the two reasons why i don't keep guineas. The other reason is my ears…

I think I'm already regretting my purchase. They are very cute and much cleaner than ducklings. I guess they are going to run away.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I collected our own eggs since the ducks are behaving, laying and looking as they should and we have a drake from exhibition-class parents. For three days I set apart the cleanest eggs and they really are quite clean.

A friend asked me whether I can be sure that the drake has mated all the ducks... So I said well, from what I've seen, it seems likely that he mated all the ducks, all the neighbors' cats and a fox when it came around.

Mine mated my wellies too

 

[Luv Ducks]

I am NOT bringing 25+ ducks into my trailer! There's four in here already, three of which are not even mine (call ducks). My place needs leaning as it is, if I let them in, I'd have to burn it down after only ten minutes.

What color are your Call Ducks may I ask? Mine are Pastel that I just got from Metzer. My one has pasty butt but is doing just fine, eating and drinking so hopefully it will be alright. It is very active and runs around like crazy so it must have been just from the stress of getting here. I have it on Save A Chick and regular Purina duckling food that I raise all of mine on. I am amazed at how much they can eat being so tiny, lol.

 

[Luv Ducks]

I collected our own eggs since the ducks are behaving, laying and looking as they should and we have a drake from exhibition-class parents. For three days I set apart the cleanest eggs and they really are quite clean.

A friend asked me whether I can be sure that the drake has mated all the ducks... So I said well, from what I've seen, it seems likely that he mated all the ducks, all the neighbors' cats and a fox when it came around.

My bigger Drake seems to only like a couple of the ducks that I have, they are his favorite and my Calls only seem to like the Mallards and Khaki Campbells, I think because they can reach them better, lol.