Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[CelticOaksFarm]

Broody hens can sometimes break eggs when moving them and getting on and off the nest. There is no way to know if that duckling hatched or the shell was broken some how. It is part of letting any bird sit and hatch eggs. Some are great at it, some are ok and some are awful at it and shouldn't be left with eggs.


Great= lays, sits, hatches and raises successfully

OK = lays, steals others eggs, sits, sorta raises, but not completely attentive

Awful = collects everyone's eggs or her own clutch. Sits then abandons at the end, OR sits and starts kicking out perfectly fine on the verge of pipping eggs, OR sits and as soon as they start hatching or are hatched walks off and leaves them to chill and die. OR breaks every eggs in the clutch because she ends up being an egg eater.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

QJ, so sorry you are having trouble with the new pup. Not all Livestock guard dogs work well with poultry, actually very few if you read all of the stories. Until they reach adult hood they shouldn't be left around the birds off leash, just too tempting. I remember a number of times I wanted kill both of ours while they were growing up. Neither mauled a bird ever, but chicken soccer happened often, and the poor heavy ducks can't get out of the way quick enough when that had happened. The male is fantastic and lives outside 24/7 now with everyone. The female still at over 2 wants to leave the property at night of she sees something she deems a threat. Can't get her to stop the chase at the fence. She sleeps inside with us at night. They are both great with all of the animals now though.

Titan turned 2 in December
Luna turned 2 in November

 

[Iain Utah]

Celtic, hope the new doctor can help your hubby! Sending best wishes your way!

QJ, oh no. . Hope you can figure out a way for your pup to be safe around your birds. By the way, are you loving your cayugas??

Marty, you doing ok? I keep thinking of you and am grieving a little too for your Luna. I keep giving Chicory aka Erin Toulouse extra hugs after hearing your news.

My buff gander is at the clinic now. I will get to pick him up in a few hours. Hope my new vet can fix him. Spirit, on the other hand, is doing fantastic! I can't help but get choked up watching her and am feeling so very hopeful she will have a long and happy normal life.

 

[DutchChic]

I was told to post my questions regarding eggs hatching on this thread. If you've read the thread “Duck eggs started hatching 4 days ago; no progress," then you know what's going on. For those who haven't read it, the title pretty much says it all.

Updates: When I went to let the ducks out this morning, I found a dead ducklings.

Mama duck had kicked it out of the nest, and it was right in front of the door.....I prodded it a little, even though I was pretty certain it was dead, to see if it would move.....It didn't. I flipped it over, and there was still yolk attached to it.....Other than that it was fully formed, so I don't know what happened....Why would it have hatched too early? There was blood or some other red liquid dried on the other eggs in the nest from the one that hatched....Will that affect those eggs? Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening in the future? I'm really not having any luck letting mama duck hatch eggs.....She started with 15, and then something started eating them so there were only 6. Now this. What am I doing wrong?

If you need me to, I can attach some pictures of the dead duckling and the shell that I found with it, but I don't want to post those unless someone really needs to see them to give me an answer....

Snakes will slide under a hen and eat eggs....I've killed 3 this year, and they wiped out a whole clutch under one broody.

 

[DutchChic]

Celtic....I sure hope the new doctor can help hubby. What a terrible thing to be happening. Glad your son is a great help!
The African boy does have a really cool voice. But he's not going to be as easy to tame as the girl was.

Utah...hope the gander is alright, and simply sprained himself.

Marty....still haven't found the birds that are MIA?

QJ....hope you can get a handle on your pup soon.

Jaz....awesome pics! Love the black sand!

 

[Iain Utah]

Hey Dutch, I think my Africans are loud and more challenging, too, but I wouldn't get rid of my ganders as they bonded to me and generally speaking, full of personality. In fact, our most obnoxious gander, Ebay, is my hubby's favorite of all our birds. Go figure.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

I have found some really great resources on training and have a couple people that answer my questions.. so I feel like I'm in "good hands" so to speak. And I got nothin' but time. lol

Utah: I think these little Cayugas are so precious. And they seem more tame than the other breeds I've had. Not spastic.


We may have our house sold. But there's a big "but" attached to it which involves us renting for 6 months. We are weighing the options. Long story.. Anyway, we might be moving soon. Like by July 1st. So I might be a little over stressed at this exact moment in time. I will know more on Sunday when the woman comes to look at the house. (that she's already decided she loves from the pics.)

I know she'll love it because I did.

 

[Iain Utah]

QJ, yay! I am very happy you like your cayugas! They are super mellow and definitely my favorite duck breed. For your pup, if I may recommend finding a working herding trainer. I put my Aussies through that type of training to improve recall when their instinct is to chase and herd livestock. It worked really well for my pups.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

QJ, great news on the house! I hope it goes well and smoothly for you.

Iain thanks, one day at a time and hoping for answers. Hope you get a good report this afternoon.

Marty how are you doing?

Julie don't let others make you doubt her or you. She will do it all in her own time and be great when she does.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Utah: that's exactly what I'm searching for right now. I've also been taking her to the parents farm to get acclimated to their cows as well. She's a great car rider dog. lol.

ETA: I meant I'm searching for someone in my area that has Anatolians.