Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[crazyfarmer]

Had 1 of 4 come out this morning. Im not sure if its Pekin or something else as the person I bought from has a mixed flock. Will post piccies soon

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

Hey GQ ! So I see you have been hatching all kinds of stuff! 90+ posts ...... Sorry could not reply to all. Cute pics of babies everyone!

I have 35 ducklings in LD ~ Some are Pekin Rouen Cross & more with a blue X on them...
(um forgot to mark what kind they are....

) I guess they will be surprise duck eggs!

Did a bunch of pics of my new Goslings on their 1st day outside

What a sweet army of goslings! If we time things right, maybe I can actually come and see your critters this time! Are your emus as big as a house yet?

this is my motley crew out with me the other day. 2 weeks old tomorrow!

Sweet babies!

Hi Guys,

was on this site about 12 months ago waiting for 6 duck eggs to hatch, got totally destroyed as they all failed, one little guy got as far as half his beak out the shell but I didn't know what to do!! SOOO now I bought a new brinsea starter incubator, only put 2 duck eggs (that were guaranteed fertile) one failed at about 14 days, BUT I have one little fella rocking and rolling inside his shell!! due date is Monday, sooo I have these questions: (if my little guy makes it out)???
1) when do I interfere and help him out the shell?
2) Will he need a friend as he's the only hatchling?
3) I have a brooder all set up and ready, but when will he be able to be introduced to my other ducks?
4) my ducks ( Khaki campbell (lush) and Muscovys (hilarious) all have drakes running with them, how do I encourage them to incubate their own eggs??

thank you for all who answer all the above!! xx

1) I never interfere anymore unless it's pipped on the wrong end.
2) They do much better with another duckling. If you can't find one right away, give baby a mirror to look in and fix a feather duster to one corner of the brooder. Kiddo will think it's mom.
3) depending on outside weather, I integrate any time between 4-6 weeks. Watch them closely at first, some ducks are more territorial than others.
4) Muscovies are pretty darn broody on their own. Have never had a Khaki sit for me.

 

[marisabe]

Thank you for that, still have movement and chirping in my solitary egg, but no sign of hatching yet???? If he's chirping does that mean he must have internally pipped??

I wasn't this obsessive when my grandchildren were being born!!

 

[qwackers]

down to 11 from 15, had two clear, two blood rings and a black blob with no blood vessels at all....but those 11 had squirmy, wiggly baby ducks!

Glad you still have 11 good ones! What day are you on now?

Had 1 of 4 come out this morning. Im not sure if its Pekin or something else as the person I bought from has a mixed flock. Will post piccies soon

whoop whoop, congratulations!

 

[qwackers]

Thank you for that, still have movement and chirping in my solitary egg, but no sign of hatching yet???? If he's chirping does that mean he must have internally pipped??

I wasn't this obsessive when my grandchildren were being born!!

hope it arrives soon!

 

[angiert]

Quote: i have made it to day 10.... and omgosh, im a nervous nanny..... this is my first attempt at call ducks... i did hatch cockatiels on a heating pad once and raised them up... so i thought... how hard can ducks be? what ever was i thinking!!!

 

[qwackers]

Haha Yeh I took on the task lightly. Then a few days in I realised how much can go wrong! I was on the edge of a heart attack when they were hatching! Glad it's over! Now I just have a tonne of poop to deal with! It's starting to get stinky now blergh!

 

[angiert]

Haha Yeh I took on the task lightly. Then a few days in I realised how much can go wrong! I was on the edge of a heart attack when they were hatching! Glad it's over! Now I just have a tonne of poop to deal with! It's starting to get stinky now blergh!

lol i know! i bought 4 cayugas and made a brooder in the spare room out of a plastic tub.... whew!! overnight it was awful!!!!... chloe stayed in the house tho most of the time and as long as i kept her diaper changed she was good, but one little call duck against 4 big cayugas..... no match!!

 

[michellemcfeely]

i have made it to day 10.... and omgosh, im a nervous nanny..... this is my first attempt at call ducks... i did hatch  cockatiels on a heating pad once and raised them up... so i thought... how hard can ducks be? what ever was i thinking!!!

Call Ducks aren't that difficult. I hatched 9 out of 12 on my first time hatching ever. I did have to help them with their air holes when they pipped as they were having a heck of a time to get through the shell. If I can do it so can you. I've done the cockatiel eggs and the calls were much easier.

 

[JSelvaggi]

I've been reading tons on this thread and am so excited for this week. I set my duck eggs on April 12. Tomorrow I finally go on lockdown. A few friends of mine are also starting lockdowns tomorrow (we are four teachers hatching amazing little ducklings)! Hatch date is Thursday the 9th! I am so excited but incredibly nervous. To top it off, I went for my Sunday weekly check-in at school (thank goodness the custodians are so nice) and while my 6 eggs had movement, my friend's incubator down the hall was OFF! I nearly had a heart attack because I knew it had something to do with the electricians in the school hallway this morning so I asked them if ALL the power was off on this side. They said yes and so I carefully relocated her eggs to my classroom but by that point, the eggs were cold. I am so sad. Are they definitely gone? Something also smells in her incubator but I couldn't figure out which egg it was.

I am also nervous about setting up the brooder. I know I need to pick up pine shavings but I read a few places that the ducklings may mistakenly eat the pine shavings?! I don't want that to happen either! Are there different sizes of pine shavings?

Finally, I have the brooder clamp light but I don't know what kind of bulb to buy. Does it have to be blue-tint? I was told a regular 75 watt light bulb is good.

I'm worried I'll be a complete mess and have already decided to stay after school late just about everyday until they hatch. I want to make sure humidity doesn't drop and the ducks get shrink wrapped. This is my first hatch but I have been religiously on this website trying to learn everything and anything everyone here has to offer... please help!