Hi all,
anyone reading my previous posts will know we have been trying since last November with no ducklings yet. At the start of cooler weather - mid march - the girls were laying the odd egg but no sitting. I thought they had given up, all that effort and nothing to show for it. I have been giving them dicalcium phosphate since about march, and they all look great - I thought they looked good before, but now everyone has the shiniest glossy feathers and have put on weight. I really think they needed the calcium supplement.
2 days ago Varia took the nest over. I took 5 eggs on Friday and only 2 were fertilized. As of today she has 13 eggs in there, all marked with the date and she is being an extremely good mum, not leaving them for more than a few minutes to grab food and a swim. She is the drakes favourite and he is gaurding her on the nest and sometimes staying with her on outings, sometimes he stays on the nest for her.
They will be due about first week of July - middle of winter! Im not crazy about that but if she can hatch out even one at least I will know it was the calcium that was the problem. If we get dead in shell at 2 or 3 weeks again I will be at my wits end for sure. It just kept happening last time even with eggs I took out to incubate myself.
So cross fingers and wish me luck - Maybe, maybe, this time, I will get my first lot of ducklings!
anyone reading my previous posts will know we have been trying since last November with no ducklings yet. At the start of cooler weather - mid march - the girls were laying the odd egg but no sitting. I thought they had given up, all that effort and nothing to show for it. I have been giving them dicalcium phosphate since about march, and they all look great - I thought they looked good before, but now everyone has the shiniest glossy feathers and have put on weight. I really think they needed the calcium supplement.
2 days ago Varia took the nest over. I took 5 eggs on Friday and only 2 were fertilized. As of today she has 13 eggs in there, all marked with the date and she is being an extremely good mum, not leaving them for more than a few minutes to grab food and a swim. She is the drakes favourite and he is gaurding her on the nest and sometimes staying with her on outings, sometimes he stays on the nest for her.
They will be due about first week of July - middle of winter! Im not crazy about that but if she can hatch out even one at least I will know it was the calcium that was the problem. If we get dead in shell at 2 or 3 weeks again I will be at my wits end for sure. It just kept happening last time even with eggs I took out to incubate myself.
So cross fingers and wish me luck - Maybe, maybe, this time, I will get my first lot of ducklings!
