Welsh Harlequin

[Kimarie411]

My WH were shipped out today! I'm so anxious. I want them NOW lol

 

[Zombified]

I need some advice. One of my ducks stopped sitting, and another disappeared(I believe she was eaten, but I'm not certain, and have found no trace or evidence). I have some eggs in a makeshift incubator, like this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ral-nest-incubation-experiment-1-so-it-begins only slightly different. If you read the later pages, my version is based on the fourth nest that Beekissed made using this method.

I'll copy and paste the post I made over on that thread.

I have a styrofoam box, filled with dirt, and leaves and feathers on top. My Mallard(the only broody one) was kind enough to lend me a few of her eggs and some of the softer feathers from her nest. I have a heating pad over the eggs, but there are two sun-warmed bricks on either side holding the heating pad so that it isn't laying on the eggs. I don't know if that's good or bad, but I remember you mentioning that you had better success when the heating pad wasn't actually touching the eggs.

I don't have an available thermometer, so I'm using my hand. No spray bottle (what the heck kind of home doesn't have a spray bottle?! My home) but I did take a slightly wet washcloth and kind of wrang it out over the eggs. They didn't get soaked, but each egg had a few good-sized drops on it. The heating pad I have does turn off automatically (ugh) but when I get the money, I'll buy a better one. This is going to have to do for now. It doesn't shut off every two hours or anything, just if it gets "too hot." I don't know what temperature that is. But I go to sleep pretty late and wake up pretty earlier anyways, so if it does turn off at night, it's unlikely the eggs will get more than a couple of hours of colder temperatures.

Any other advice you have?

 

[hokankai]

Get an actual incubator .

Hoe long till they hatch? And can't you put them under the mallard?

 

[Zombified]

Get an actual incubator

.

Hoe long till they hatch? And can't you put them under the mallard?

Lol with all that extra money I have, right? ;P

I actually was able to find a heating lamp and a thermometer.

My Mallard already had ten eggs under her. No way to fit anymore.

She has also disappeared. My boyfriend and dad think someone's coming in and stealing them. There is an increase in homeless people around here, and I'm sure they're starving... I just wish they woulda at least taken Erebus, not my favorite, not my baby... ): She imprinted on me. This is a definite blow. Both Thoth and Pyrrhos were pretty special.

But! One of Thoth's eggs is alive! I'm absolutely stunned. I really hope she makes it through this hatch.

This makeshift bator is working pretty well. When the temps do actually get stable, they stay stable throughout the day/night. It's just a matter of getting them stable first. But no temp spikes that have lasted longer than a few minutes, and none over 104. They do get a cooling off period in the middle of the day. If I can just figure out how to best keep temps stable, I think this has a pretty good shot. If just Thoth's egg makes it, I'll consider it a success.

 

[Kimarie411]

I got my WH and my hubs got his Pekin. We ordered them from chickens for backyards. They were alert and very talkative upon arrival. I couldn't be happier with the conditions upon arrival. I was nervous because they weren't from the more popular places. I would order from them again.

 

[Kimarie411]

They are also adorable!! Will post pics at work tomorrow.

 

[nayeli]

Lol with all that extra money I have, right? ;P

I actually was able to find a heating lamp and a thermometer.

My Mallard already had ten eggs under her. No way to fit anymore.

She has also disappeared. My boyfriend and dad think someone's coming in and stealing them. There is an increase in homeless people around here, and I'm sure they're starving... I just wish they woulda at least taken Erebus, not my favorite, not my baby... ): She imprinted on me. This is a definite blow. Both Thoth and Pyrrhos were pretty special.

But! One of Thoth's eggs is alive! I'm absolutely stunned. I really hope she makes it through this hatch.

This makeshift bator is working pretty well. When the temps do actually get stable, they stay stable throughout the day/night. It's just a matter of getting them stable first. But no temp spikes that have lasted longer than a few minutes, and none over 104. They do get a cooling off period in the middle of the day. If I can just figure out how to best keep temps stable, I think this has a pretty good shot. If just Thoth's egg makes it, I'll consider it a success.

Yikes, where are they kept? I might invest in a motion detector and outdoor lighting if your in a bad area (where people steal from you)! I would also put up a no trespassing sign!

 

[UtahWelshie]

I had a friend in high school who did it your way. She hatched a single egg using a dishtowel, a heat pad and a spray bottle. She didn't touch the egg very often because she was afraid it would accumulate the oils from her hands and they would block the pores. She turned it with a gloved hand in the towel and kept it warm and watched it so it didn't get too hot or too cold. She was seriously focused. It was lucky it was summer and she had a lot of time on her hands with some health problems she was having. I don't think she even had a thermometer. She just guessed at the body temperature an egg would experience from a hen. She took care of it 24/7. It actually hatched. So I know it is possible. But honestly, my friend is one of the most focused people, and I don't think I could do it. No. I know I couldn't do it. But I can admire people who are willing to give it a shot.

 

[Zombified]

Nayeli, I wouldn't know. Honestly, I don't think anyone is stealing them. I think something rather lazy and too small to take the others took them and ate them. Thoth was the smallest out of my Welsh Harlequins, and Pyrrhos was a Mallard, so about half the size of the WHs. I did put the other three in their run last night. They usually have access to all over the yard, with the gate kept open, all day and all night, but I'm going to see if they're safer in the run. I really need to build them a coop. I've been putting it off because it really hasn't been a necessity here.

UtahWelshie, thanks for that! That does give me hope. Many hatchers have said that their most successful hatches were the ones they paid the least attention to. I, myself, am not a very focused person, either, lol.

 

[nayeli]

@Zombified if the smallest ones are being taken I would guess it was an aerial predator like a hawk. Building a coop is necassary, once an animal learns it can get a meal at your house it will keep coming back! I lock my ducks up at night to protect them from racoons but they free range in my yard all day, luckily no problems yet!