Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[QuackerJackFarms]

Question: Since I only have 4 cayugas... 2 boys, 1 girl and 1 unknown sex baby... I REALLY need at least 4 girls to have the proper breeding stock m/f ratio. I can either 1) buy more show quality hatching eggs; 2) purchase show quality straight run ducklings from Holderread; or 3) purchase sexed females from metzer.

What would you do if you were me??

I would check the availability at Holderreads first.. and then probably go with Metzers. Unless you want to go through the hatch again and wait 28 days.

I want to see a pic of the nervous face too.

plus sure hope all goes great and the gosling is okay..

Here it is!

Ok nevermind.. there isn't a real good nervous face on there.

That is what makes metzer soooooo tempting CG. However, the downsides to metzer is that the ducklings are hatchery quality and I worry about bringing ducklings into our closed healthy flock.

I kind of want to take a stab at hatching... think I have figured out a new method to increase rate. But then I'd have to wait another month to hatch them out, wait another few weeks to sex them, then deal with the excess boys.

With Holderread (assuming I could get them soon), at least I know I'm getting healthy top quality... but I would pay a pretty price to get those ducklings and still have to deal with the excess boys.

Hmmm... what to do.. what to do..

Do you have a breeder to get eggs from?

 

[Iain Utah]

So far, you guys are leaning towards metzers. I'd love to see pics of your metzer cayuga babies!!

Boggy Bottom has an ebay sale ending today. I have heard very good things about them. Plus, I could get a few more eggs from the lady where I got Molasses.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

OK, my hatches are going crazy! Once my humidity goes just a LITTLE high, they start hatching! I had my humidity at 77%, and woke up to 5 external pips out of 6 eggs! But one baby was dead. But I have 6 babies, from 11 eggs. 4 from this hatch (6 eggs) and 2 from the last (5).... Someone tell me this was a good hatch please........ I feel like a failure!. None of my WH cross eggs hatched! They both died.... Well, I had to cull one. He was disformed or something... Something wrong with that baby... but still...

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Oooo ya know what? I've great things about Boggy too. I might go that route.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

OK, my hatches are going crazy! Once my humidity goes just a LITTLE high, they start hatching! I had my humidity at 77%, and woke up to 5 external pips out of 6 eggs! But one baby was dead. But I have 6 babies, from 11 eggs. 4 from this hatch (6 eggs) and 2 from the last (5).... Someone tell me this was a good hatch please........ I feel like a failure!. None of my WH cross eggs hatched! They both died.... Well, I had to cull one. He was disformed or something... Something wrong with that baby... but still...

Yay!!! DG- forgot to tell you that puppy is eating VERY well.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Oh, and these eggs weren't do till next week! They were still in the turner...

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

SEBBIE UPDATE ***


Externally pipped for #2 and I'm glad I did. It was SW. The bad kind, where it's over the nares. So I basically just opened up to a canoe and moistened. It's looking okay actually. I was afraid I'd find a lot of fluid like last time, but it doesn't appear to be a problem. It has some absorbing to do yet, but not a lot.

#1 is making progress awesomely. (if that's a word)

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Oh, and these eggs weren't do till next week! They were still in the turner...

That's just crazy.

 

[Iain Utah]

Yay for saving sebbe #2 QJ!! Pics???

Tough decision, isn't it, QJ... eggs from boggy bottom/molasses lady seller.... or sexed females from metzer.

 

[Miss Lydia]

SEBBIE UPDATE ***


Externally pipped for #2 and I'm glad I did. It was SW. The bad kind, where it's over the nares. So I basically just opened up to a canoe and moistened. It's looking okay actually. I was afraid I'd find a lot of fluid like last time, but it doesn't appear to be a problem. It has some absorbing to do yet, but not a lot.

#1 is making progress awesomely. (if that's a word)

QJ