Who's Hatching Ducks? Hatch With Us!! *Page 3*

[cuppycake143]

I am new to this duck hatching... And I just recieved 7 mallard eggs the other day from a lady. She said she had no idea how long ago the duck had laid them maybe 2 weeks or more, but they all look like different gestations when candled. Today I noticed that I have a five day old, and one I believe to be ready to hatch. The one that looks ready I can hear what sounds like light pecking/scratching. I see no veins anymore or yolk in fact the only thing really visibly is what i believe to be one of his feet and the air pocket but no bill in it.

If he is pecking does that mean he is ready to pip? Also his shell almost looks marbelized... not porous but just looks like a granite countertop would its as if the shell is very thin and transparent.

any help would be very much appreciated. i am so nervous and I keep finding myself quacking at this little one whom I want to name squishy lol

Also i heard ducks can make very good pets. this is why I decided to hatch one myself. What are ur experiences with them as pets and can a yorkie dog get along with my little squishy?

 

[barnwife]

O my goodness! how wonderful!!

the scratching pecking is DEFINATELY a sign he is trying to get out! Quick! put him in the incubator and DOP NOT TOUCH!! it makes it harder for the littl ones toget out and can weaken them in the long run.

about the yorkie, idk how they would do...they usually have a pretty high prey drive (i.e. its smaller than me and it moves...get it!)
being that they were bred to dig out rats and whatnot (most terrier breeds). I would keep them separate for awhile, gradually introduce, never unsupervised at least until the ducks can get away without help (fly maybe).

Congrats! Let us know how it goes!

Ducks can take an entire day to pip (break through the membrane and the shell) zip (make little cracks all around the shell in order to let themselves out) and finally emerge...and then dry off. They do not have to eat for 24 full hours after the out-of-the-shell part.

o my goodness, congratulations!

 

[Calebs Acre]

Today, we move about 20 runner eggs to the hatcher. The problem is that my hatcher is now back to an incubator and is totally full.

BUT....I am waiting for a new bator to be delivered...Cutler's got it out for me within hours of ordering it, so I am hoping it will get here today. The post office chart shows 2 days from their zip to mine, so I will be holding my breath that it gets here before duckies start to pip, since last week my ducks were pipping three days early.
Can't believe I want them to take their time.....I am impatient to meet them, but want them to just sit by and wait until I can put them in the new hatcher to pip. LOL.

 

[MsDiTullio]

Hi all! I am a teacher and have hatched ducks before, but only call ducks. I have switched to Pekin this time! Any differences that anyone knows about?

Well here is my question...The eggs were shipped yesterday and are coming my home [I did not want them showing up at school and someone not handling them correctly]. According to the supplier they will arrive on Monday or Tuesday. In the past all my eggs have been shipped overnight. As I am sitting here looking at a calendar, I realized that if the eggs are placed on Tuesday that would make hatch day the 25th of May, which is also Memorial Day...no school. I would really like the students to be here to witness them hatching!! Can I keep the eggs out of the incubator until Wednesday or preferably Thursday? If so how do I store them?

Any ideas/advice/suggestions is much appreciated!!!

Thank you!!

 

[barnwife]

i might have to do something similar soon myself!
I have three bators right now...one has quail and chickens (my daughter's hatch of silkies and tophats) all due in 12-18 days (three day increments in between)....one has chickens and turkeys due in 7-12 days (three day increments), and my hatcher has a pheasant, ducks, and chickens in it due in three days or less. It depends on who wants to show their shiny personality first

I habve eggs waiting, and eggs due to arrive in one and two weeks....

I am running at capacity, and I think I'm gonna have to use my hatcher as a bator for a week or so!! AHHHH! Time to buy another bator ... a hovabator, and with quail rails

full bator syndrome...OY! Whats a girl to do?

 

[DeeThomas]

This thread is going to crash the server.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Quote:
Hatchability (is that a word?

) decreases the longer the eggs sit. You have no way of knowing when the eggs were hatched before they were shipped to you (unless they can tell you?) I'm not sure that I'd personally wait that long; I think 10 days is usually the max but I'm not sure about duck eggs. They do take several days to hatch and don't always hatch on time so they still might be able to see them.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Ok, I didn't hatch them, myself, but I went to the auction tonight (I always buy/sell in the parking lot, never actually stick around for the auction part) and I got 5 call duck babies (look to be no more than three days old) for 2 bucks each!!! They're a color I don't have, too

I tried to take pics, but my camera keeps messing up on me.

I'll get pics tomorrow.

Score!!!!!

Meri

 

[mamanaturale]

no way! that is so awesome! never anything fun like calls at our auction....

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Ok, finally got ONE pic to come out right...

aren't they adorable??!!!

I love call duck babies

meri