Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[Goin Quackrrs]

The final tally, 7 pekins hatched. ( and I did cheat, and go to TSC and buy some mallard/rouens)

You naughty girl with your feed store duckies! (like I can talk... because I surely didn't hatch 3 pekins and a khaki out of runner duck eggs)

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

Feeling pretty good. NO SURGERY ON MY KNEE!!! at least not yet. My knee cap has arthritis under it and the ACL is alittle torn. I have to take Ibuprofen for 10 days and see if the sweelling goes down. If not I will get a second opinion.

Hooray for no surgery!

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

Yes I got a bunch of Ancona's today in the mail. I am so full up and I have more coming. I have at least 7 internal pips on my Pekins today!!! YEAH

More excitement!

 

[psue]

wonders if GC is caught up yet

 

[Iain Utah]

I MUST disagree strongly about helping babies hatch. I had two wrong end pippers that I had to help hatch. They are both strong and healthy. I had a 3rd baby that was badly twisted in egg that we had to help hatch. It came out totally messed up and I was very upset that I hatched it only to die a slow and painful death. But that darn baby righted itself after 24 hours and has not looked back. It too is strong and healthy. None of these babies would have been able to hatch on their own... But they are all now special members of the family with no residual issues.

I think it was Celtic who astutely pointed out.... Doctors will always try and if the patient doesn't make it... That is life. But, we don't sit back and say let nature take its course. We do what we can to save them, and if we are lucky, the rewards are worth the risks of experiencing the worst case scenario.

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

wonders if GC is caught up yet

Here I am! Glad it was a semi-quiet day. I didn't get online until super late. Was supposed to have someone come get ducklings but things didn't work out as expected, so rescheduled for tomorrow.

The longer I keep them, the more I want to keep them. But I've resigned myself to the fact that she wants two of the ones I had hoped to keep. They're all so darn cute.

I'm feeling really discouraged about Pocket. I really want the little duckie to make it. And if it doesn't learn to walk, I'm going to be the weird duck lady who has a duck wearing a diaper riding around in one of those baby carriers you strap to your chest.

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

I MUST disagree strongly about helping babies hatch. I had two wrong end pippers that I had to help hatch. They are both strong and healthy. I had a 3rd baby that was badly twisted in egg that we had to help hatch. It came out totally messed up and I was very upset that I hatched it only to die a slow and painful death. But that darn baby righted itself after 24 hours and has not looked back. It too is strong and healthy. None of these babies would have been able to hatch on their own... But they are all now special members of the family with no residual issues.
I think it was Celtic who astutely pointed out.... Doctors will always try and if the patient doesn't make it... That is life. But, we don't sit back and say let nature take its course. We do what we can to save them, and if we are lucky, the rewards are worth the risks of experiencing the worst case scenario.

Thank you for posting this!

Hubby keeps telling me that this is a good learning experience and if we manage to help this duck, we will be able to help others down the line.

My boss, on the other hand, keeps telling me that I should have culled every time the subject comes up. We've lost a couple animals on the farm lately and our LGD has cancer, so I think she's just feeling discouraged. I'm happy that my ducks are for hobby and not profit. It's a fine line you have to walk trying to know when to cull and when not to.

 

[Iain Utah]

I like your hubby! Not a big fan of your boss.

My hubby thought he'd turn this hatching babies into a biz... But the man couldn't cull a bird (or any animal) to save his life. I can't even get him to do eggtopsies, so we are back to building our home flock for pleasure purpose... And my neighbor is happily on standby to cull mean drakes, if necessary.

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

Oh, and my BEI eggs didn't show up today. I'm sure they'll be here tomorrow. In the meantime, I set my 28 (hopefully) runner duck eggs and 2 mystery goose eggs tonight. Just couldn't wait until 24 hours after the BEI's arrive.

My ducklings are getting so big. I had to upgrade their waterer already. Each and every one of them is the pinnacle of cuteness. And I'm not biased... all ducklings are too cute.

When I popped into the gas station on my lunch break, there was a pair of mallards playing in a mud puddle in the parking lot. I chased them into the pond on the neighboring property so nobody would run them over.

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

I like your hubby! Not a big fan of your boss.
My hubby thought he'd turn this hatching babies into a biz... But the man couldn't cull a bird (or any animal) to save his life. I can't even get him to do eggtopsies, so we are back to building our home flock for pleasure purpose... And my neighbor is happily on standby to cull mean drakes, if necessary.

I like my boss, even when I disagree with her. She's a lifelong farmer and is set in her ways. I have to respect her experience, even when I don't take her advice.

My hubby can bring down an elk, field dress it and hang it in the garage with no qualms, but the mere suggestion of butchering any of our ducks starts a huge argument. I'm not allowed to butcher on our propety. Guess I should be happy we keep mostly runners, no meat on 'em anyway.