Thread formerly known as Hatch day is today

[qwackers]

I got bitten by a broody duck today. Not snapped at, not pecked at. Bitten.

I found her in a pile of brush on her nest in the field at work. She was panting, so I got her a bowl of water and took it to her. I was trying to slowly offer her the water when she struck. Bit my hand and would not let go. Literally play tug of war with my hand.

I had to go refill the water dish and I'm going to have a bruise. Anyone who came upon such a scene would have wondered why I was holding an empty doggie dish in one hand, and an angry duck by the bill with the other. When I returned with the refilled water dish, she calmly accepted my kindness. Silly girl. She's got six eggs under her, fingers crossed for fuzzies!

Haha that made me chuckle. When mine eat peas from my hand they get a bit carried away and try and pull the skin off of my palm! Luckily they dont do it too hard!

One of my ducks got broody the other day, I managed to get her out of the duck house though and grab the eggs as we really cant have any more ducks, she didnt go for me but if looks could kill.... she's snapped out of it now though, phew!

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

My daughter's showmanship duck went broody and she was the nicest, calmest duck before, toddlers could pick her up and carry her on their own, UNTIL she went broody. Then, she was the nastiest duck EVER! She would bite my daughter as you described, she bit her leader multiple times and left welts and bruises, she also bit other kids that were near her as my daughter practiced with her. It was awful. She is nice again, but a little more stand off-ish.

Now, we have a psycho mallard duck. While she was sitting, she was friendly and now that her babies are fully feathered she is crazy. She is our most timid duck and I'll be darn if that duck is charging people like a territorial pig. We will go to pick up any duck even full grown that are not near her and she will come from nowhere and attack. She bit my 8 yr old son on the calf yesterday for him trying to pick up one of our new adult drakes. Crazy duck!


What breed is she? Hopefully you will have babies soon. Good luck!

She's an Indian Runner-Wild Mallard cross. Mr. Wild Mallard decided he wanted a domesticated girlfriend last spring.

 

[Learningstill]

She's an Indian Runner-Wild Mallard cross. Mr. Wild Mallard decided he wanted a domesticated girlfriend last spring.

That is funny that a wild mallard would take interest in an indian runner. What does she look like? What will the babies be mixed with?

 

[old1953]

I have used that bite and hold reaction to examine eggs. Just let them bite your hand and then raise it until they have to stand up to keep the bite going. Takes a bit of a steady nerve to ignore an angry goose that's really trying to hurt you, but it does let you examine the eggs easily. I suppose you could wear gloves to do that, but I don't think I ever bothered with them.

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

That is funny that a wild mallard would take interest in an indian runner. What does she look like? What will the babies be mixed with?

She looks like a chunky fawn & white runner duck with a mallard eye stripe and bad posture.

The babies could be anything. I think the blue swede is the big horndog of the bunch. They're farm ducks, so we don't worry so much about breed.

I have used that bite and hold reaction to examine eggs. Just let them bite your hand and then raise it until they have to stand up to keep the bite going. Takes a bit of a steady nerve to ignore an angry goose that's really trying to hurt you, but it does let you examine the eggs easily. I suppose you could wear gloves to do that, but I don't think I ever bothered with them.

Well, it was unintentional, but it worked like a charm! Got a little mark on my hand, but it's not bruised, just looks like a bit of a scratch where the ridges on the bill were.

 

[Learningstill]

Oh, I was thinking she might have the runner body and colored like the mallard. It is funny how they come out. We have some mallard/khaki campbell crosses that look like mallards in body and markings, but color is tan. They are still ducklings, so we wonder if they will change. Others, look like thicker mallards, I guess like a Rouen. We have one duck that is so pretty. We are wondering if she would pass for a Rouen in show.

 

[Goin Quackrrs]

Sad to report that the incubators in our house are now off. I feel like my mission for the year is incomplete, but the last batch of eggs I set were infertile and the two prior hatches weren't good, so it's time to cut my losses I guess.

 

[harpandlore]

I have been keeping chickens a long time, but am new to ducks. I have a half dozen duck eggs in my incubator and they are just starting to pip. This isn't the usual should I assist question. I know to leave them alone. But one hatched yesterday and the duckling was very active in the incubator. It turned over one of the other pipping eggs as it was scampering about the incubator, so that the point where that egg's hole had been pipped now faces the ground. Should I remove the duckling and right the egg?

Also, the humidity dropped to about 40% for a couple hours this morning. I'm not sure why as I topped the tanks last night, but I just re-added water and it's back up to 55%. Should I spray the eggs or maybe put a wet cloth in the incubator to increase the humidity more?

Thank you in advance!

Cliff

 

[Heidisgran]

I have been keeping chickens a long time, but am new to ducks. I have a half dozen duck eggs in my incubator and they are just starting to pip. This isn't the usual should I assist question. I know to leave them alone. But one hatched yesterday and the duckling was very active in the incubator. I turned over one of the other pipping eggs as it was scampering about the incubator, so that the point where that egg's hole had been pipped now faces the ground. Should I remove the duckling and right the egg?

Also, the humidity dropped to about 40% for a couple hours this morning. I'm not sure why as I topped the tanks last night, but I just re-added water and it's back up to 55%. Should I spray the eggs or maybe put a wet cloth in the incubator to increase the humidity more?

Thank you in advance!

Cliff

personally I would right the egg....do get the humidity up...ducks actually sit on the eggs after going for a swim...they need a very high humidity at hatch

 

[Miss Lydia]

personally I would right the egg....do get the humidity up...ducks actually sit on the eggs after going for a swim...they need a very high humidity at hatch

and if duckling is dry I'd go ahead and move to the brooder if already warm, with a stuffed animal to keep it company till the next one hatches. Congrats!!