The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: robbiegrant on August 25, 2012, 12:22:20 am
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:wave: All This is our first time, so go easy on us.... ;D
We live in a converted stable that once was a mill on the river Eden in Cupar so not only does the river run right past the house but there is a mill lade 15meters from the house. It is a popular place for ducks, some years there are dozens of pairs raising their broods here.
We have 2 clutches.
The first clutch A1 to A6 are white pure breed IR's eggs. The second clutch B1 to B6 Are mixed colour IR's.
Clutch A is on day 7 and Clutch B was set 3 days later ( due to late arrival in post )
Both are Ebay purchases.
They are set in an secondhand, still air, auto turning Brinsea incubator, bought from a very nice man in Scone.
I have modified the Brinsea by fitting -
1. Two small 12v fans ( stolen from a PC power supply ) connected to a 240v/12v wall wart PSU. These are to aid an even air circulation/temperature through out the unit.
2. A digital brinsea spot test thermometer ( i'm convinced the standard mercury in glass is lying! ) Temperature set to 37.5C
3. A digital humidity meter.
4. Cut down layer of sponge to laid in one water resevoir to help wick water vapour into the incubator
( I luv sponge. cos i'm not allowed anything sharp! )
The system was run for a week bare to check stability of the environment.
The eggs where rested at room temp point down for 8 hours, cleaned, candled, number, weighed and marked with O's and X's to allow us to check they are all turning properly before setting. ( My first time but nothing untoward that my inexperienced eye can see at this point. more to the point no evidence of cracks! )
I am now a week into incubation for clutch A and tonight was my first candling.
A1 does not seem any different ( possibly sterile )
A2 shows strong signs of embryonic development. Blood vessels eminating from a dark spot. WOOOPEEE life!
A3 is similar but much darker than A2
A4, A5 = A2
A6 same but a larger air sac than i would have hoped at this stage.
Bearing in mind Clutch B is 3 days behind and got lost in the post for 4 days!
B1, B3, B4, B5 and B6 All look like stuff is happening a fine web of blood vessels is spreading from the center. There seems to be a light ring around all the development. I have checked as many photos online because I am concerned about bacterial ring infection so i will have to keep a close eye but development has started by the looks of it.
B2 Sadly has a hairline crack in it that seemed to get bigger within hours. In the interests of the other healthy eggs my wife an I agonised over what to do and have decided to remove it. A painful decision but for the best I think. So sadly we are down to 11. It would be unrealistic to expect 12 out of 12 to do the term and ultimately we are after healthy happy ducks.
Anyway the project is moving forward and we look forward to clutch A hatching on the 14-15th sept and clutch B three days later. I know I have to stop the auto turner on the 25th day so Clutch A can get into position for pipping and have just resigned myself to having to turn clutch B by hand till they reach day 25.
Indian Runners should take 28.5 days to hatch but nature being what it is we will just have to see.
Until then I think i've gone broody, I'm clucking ( quacking ) around the incubator regularly through the day to check they are turning, and that temp and humidity are stable.
Will keep you all posted.
Robbie
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update....
On a sad note we have now removed A1 which has turned out to be sterile... So we are down to 10....
My wife and i plan to buy matching wellies and put a disinfected pair in the brooder so the ducks will imprint on them. it will make it easier to train them to go down to the lade, where to enter etc. I have an inflatable so we can play mummy duck with our flock . It will also help in training them to come home to bed before nightfall ( they will have a auto pop hole out of the yard. and for feeding etc.
We have also installed a INTERPLEX NITE EYE in various places. http://www.solarniteeyes.co.uk/ (http://www.solarniteeyes.co.uk/)
and we plan to play talk radio during the hours of darkness to discourage preditors
My last idea for now is a shallow paddling pool in their yard that is drilled to free drain to act as a shower tray. I plan to install a movement sensor that will switch a solenoid that will supply water to a shower head do they can have a play..... Anybody tried showering their ducks?
tomorrow we plan to photograph an developing egg whilst its being candled...
We can put the photos in the family albumen ( bad joke )
stay tuned...
Robbie
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Hey - you are so incredibly organised! Can't wait on a progress report and pics of any ducklings in the near future :)
I just wish I had any old incubator (on the shopping list for next year) to get the job done each time a broody gives up... :&>
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:wave: Kerstin
Not as organised as I would like to have been.
We have had friends from Russia visiting for the last two weeks with 5 kids! They left today with smiles on their wee faces, so the house can go back to normal.... phew the kids where a handfull!!!! My Russian is still at about 4 year old level so I was even having my grammar corrected by their 5 year old :eyelashes:
Have not got around the photographing the candled embrios yet, maybe tomorrow when we have recovered a bit from our recent invasion. LOL.
Turns out the unfertilised egg ( A1 ) lost 6grams in the incubator in 10 days which was roughly equivalent to A5 which is developing well. so little difference. I conclude this is moisture lost through the shell through evaporation.
Anyhoo...
This morning when i did a quick candle one of the Clutch A embrios was moving around. cant really tell if its reacting to light of if its just having a wee party to the music being played constantly in the incubator.. mainly classical, but sometimes soft jazz :innocent: Didn't log which one it was but by this evening ( day 11 ) They are all having a wee boogie about.
I have found i don't have to disturb them too much as I just place the candling torch at the blunt end where ever they rest in the incubator and as the embryos pretty much rise to the highest point within the egg it is enough to see if things are still healthy.
By contrast The B clutch ( day 8 ) are all uniformly developing. No Movement. but all healthly so far as we can see.... :excited: :fc:
Anyway tomorrow is another day.
Be well
Robbie
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You're way more organised than I am when hatching eggs. I did have a look at weighing but never got round to it. Definitely post some pictures on here. I like the shower idea for ducks, it sounds alot less messy. Luckily all mine have a stream to play in but I can remember how much mess the ducks made at my old house with their paddling pool.
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We just want to do our best for the wee souls.
Its our first time hatching so we are probably clucking ( quacking ) around like broody hens.
I grew up on a 3 acre smallholding with 40-50 layers ( rhode island reds ) a few banties, cockrels, 6 aylesburys, 2 muskovys, 4 geese a couple of milk goats and three lambs a year in the spring etc etc etc so i'm not new to the way of life. But its all new for my wife.
We dont have that kind of space here so it could more be described as a microholding or nano even!
I unsuccessfully managed to film the moving embryos last night due to bad planning and not understanding how my phone does video. will try again tonight.. :fc: :fc: :fc: :fc: :fc: :fc: :fc: :fc: :fc:
Its all good fun.
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:wave:
Hi All
Day 12 ( A team )
I'm proud of myself after shooting and uploading to youtube for the first time.
indian runner duck embryo fife day 12 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leU1qBX0wSk#)
I'm sure I can get better shots but i dont want to disturb them too much.....
This is a shot of A2.... somethings alive...
Had a wee candle at the B team (9 days) there is movement there too....
:)
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Very interesting Robbie - i have a batch of 12 ebay light sussex in at the moment and i am at day 10 so I candled them last night & found possibly 8/12 fertile (but still with large air sacs). I also put in 6 of own my buff orpingtons which all seem unfertile. Not had much luck with them at all. I also put 2 from the other chickens that I know the buff cockerel is treading and it seems like 1/2 fertile.
I am interested in the weighing topic you had so did you decide not to weigh this batch? I decided not to as I didnt have enough time ( or equipment) to do it properly this time.
Now just to sort out why my buffs arent succeeding. :thinking:
Good luck with the hatching
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Hello again there Compo
I have weighed all the eggs as they have gone into incubator but i have not been weighing them so often to limit the disturbance. The 10 that are developing seem healthy.
It seems the infertile eggs lost pretty much as much as a fertile one developing away so i imaging the weight loss is mainly down to evaporation through the shell ( rather than weight loss through embryonic development.
I do spray my eggs daily with a light mist of warm water. ( sitting ducks must get off the nest once a day surely.
They have all developed good airsacs. I believe the young duckling internally pips into this and takes its first breath before tackling its shell break out.
but i aint no eggspert!
let me know how you get on...
and good luck :fc:
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I do spray my eggs daily with a light mist of warm water. ( sitting ducks must get off the nest once a day surely.
Yes, they do! What I find interesting is comparing a sitting duck with the incubator experience of yourselves! A duck starts off slowly , increasing the sitting time the longer she sits. Does an incubator have the same temps all month round? The natural gaps don't seem to harm the embyos much in the begiining, even if left overnight. But as there a usually quite a number of eggs before the real sitting time, maybe it does... ??? :&>
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:wave: Helllooooooo there over yonder hill.
:gloomy: Its a nice day for :&> :&> :&> :raining:
There does seem to be a large degree of opinion regarding the misting of duck eggs.
Thing is... When ah wiz a bairn the aylesbury and muscovy eggs didnae last long enough to hatch cos we gobbled them all up double quick :innocent: I do remember hatching chicks, rhode island reds, but as i was probably about 9 years old don't remember the technicalitys :eyelashes:
Ever since we recently started exhibiting the symptoms of Compulsive Duckling Disorder :unwell: :love: :excited: We have given close attention to temperature and humidity. :thinking: The temp in our incubator sits mostly at 37.5 but i have seen it 0.2 degrees plus/minus . The incubator lives in our back kitchen ( translation - part time brewery ) which is an extremely stable/quiet environ night and day.... ( Bl**dy thick stane walls and wads o insulation helps! ). So yes I would say the incubator has the potential for great stability throughout the month.
BUT a chicken is not a duck, so its a poor comparison in terms of damp bird / dry bird.. Though I know they are very good at sitting on duck eggs, however i never seen a happy chook in the rain... ) Anyway....... :&> being water fowl their eggs are going to get damp. So i give them a wee bit o moisture. The air is well circulated within the unit, It doesnt upset the air temp for too long, certainly not enough to alter the internal eggs temp. ( which, I would imagine is what really matters ) and the humidity has a wee boost before falling again to around 45RH. There is an extra water tray in the bottom of the unit that I have been told to fill ( probably in a week or so. ) to raise the humidity higher towards the pipping stage.
So far things are moving on. They all seem happy jumping aboot in there shells to the tunes from the ipod!
When i check them tonight i plan to weigh them as a comparison to their original weights. If I get a better video i will post it to with the weight DATA.
We are looking forward to being Ducked Up Beyond All Recognition :hug: :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&> :&>
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Hi Folx
Well.......... The A team are half way through now. They are still dancing aboot in their shells
The B team are a quiet tonight. Not much movement. Do they sleep in their shells?
Weights for the A team
A1 day 1 60.7g - @ 11 Day = 54.4grams ( Was removed a few days ago un_fertile ) loss 6.3g!!!
A2 day 1 59.3g - @ 14 Days = 52.2g loss 7.1g
A3 day 1 62.0g - @ 14 Days = 55.9g loss 6.1g
A4 day 1 57.0g - @ 14 Days = 50.6g loss 6.4g
A5 day 1 60.3g - @ 14 Days = 53.3g loss 7.0g
A6 day 1 58.8g - @ 14 Days = 51.9g loss 6.9g
Target weight loss to pipping stage 8.33grams @14% of total egg weight
Average egg size 59.5 average loss 6.7g average loss per day 0.478g
Sooooooooo..... at 14 days the eggs average weight loss equals slightly over 11%
I hope weight loss is slowing or I will never reach my healthy 14% target!!!!
This revelation has got me a teensyweensy bit paranoid. Going to have to weigh them again tomorrow to see if they are still lossing by an average of 0.478grams per day.
Does anyone know if the weight loss is linear or..... well.... err...... curved?
I would imagine curved. :fc: :fc: :fc:
Any ideas?
p.s. just candled the B team again and there seems more signs of life :relief:
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:excited: ITS ALL VERY EXCITING.... :excited:
The A team are on lockdown. Candling reveals that egg A3 is internally pipping, lots of activity.
Activity in other "A" eggs ( not all ) but my money is on A3 to pip ( excuse the pun ) to the post.
Friday even is the big day. :fc:
There Brooder is awaiting the little arrivals and will be transferred soon as they are fluffy.
B team still turning in the 'bator.
Sat very quiet last night and watched a couple of the eggs bopping aboot on their ain...
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Fingers crossed all goes well for you! There's not much more exciting than awaiting new lives ;D .
Hope all (but 1) will be girls ;D :&>
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Thank you NFD :)
Right on que ( to the hour ) A6 has started implementing the escape plan. " escape from StalEGG 13!"
A wee chip has been knocked out of the upper surface of the blunt end and its wobbling about........
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Sounds like you eggs are coming along nicely, I have just hatched 11 out of 18 runners bought off ebay. Didn't expect so many as the incubator humidity control kept playing up and we had a power cut but they are here and the cutest little ducks you ever saw.
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Hello Everyone.
Hey DM, glad to hear you
A6 is squeeking away... obviously wants out... lots of movement. We can see his beak now... He is breathing an vigourously working away at the shell? We just candled the other 4 and they are all dead... A2 we suspected was dead a while ago but we didnt want to move it until totally sure.
A3 A4 and A5 have not been rocking about at all today. we investigated with the torch and they are totally still, they have died in there shell... we are gutted...
What could have gone wrong? shells to thick? I wonder if the incubator is achieving adequate humidity over night. both water troughs are full but we have now put an extra water vessel in the bator, just to make sure..
The B team are 3 days behind... three of them have no movement, the largest is rocking like crazy, the smallest is moving but not much ( hopefully just having a sleep.)
At what stage do you intervene? I always imagined they sort the hatching out for themselves.
Daisys Mum...
Glad to hear of your hatch, what kind of ducks did you buy???
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Hi Robbie sorry to hear you have lost some of your ducks, mine are White Indian Runners, I kept the humidity at 58 up until day 24 then turned it up to 70. My incubator was not working very well so i kept putting wet sponges in to keep the humidity up.
I had 2 non fertile eggs and 5 which died in the shell. :&>
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Hello Again.
Who did you buy from?
Robbie
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that's a shame, robbie :bouquet: . So incubators are not foolproof either... :&>
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Hi Guys.
Lucky Ducky is jumping about in the brooder now( All alone tho :( ) . He/She/It fed and drank within an hour or so of getting out the shell and is vocal and vigorous.
We think the others dried too much ( humidity )or maybe slightly too higher temperature. ( dont know if we can trust our hygrometer/thermometer anymore ) We removed another three still eggs this morning. So there is only 2 living eggs left from the B team. They are on day 26days and 12 hours. We are really hoping for safe hatching, it is heart breaking to see seemingly healthy eggs die before the babies hatch and Lucky Ducky will need a pal.
Hi NFD, incubators are not foolproof either. I suppose we are dealing with nature... theres something to be said for letting a broody mother hen/duck doing the job i think.
Last night, after we remove Lucky to the brooder I gave the incubator a wipe down, changed and topped up both water reservoirs and added two wet sponges into the unit.
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Hi NFD, incubators are not foolproof either. I suppose we are dealing with nature... theres something to be said for letting a broody mother hen/duck doing the job i think.
to the same efffect here - out of 4 eggs she hatched 1 - sadly she gave up although I heard the other one trying to get out. I now wish I had intervened but it is a hard decision to make. Maybe it would have been a boy ;) The only other time we had a broody duck she hatched 5 but the weather was so bad and we literally did not know that nature needed help (our 1st year!) if you want to have and keep your ducklings - then 2 died of the cold and 2 others were taken by a hawk. I was actually thinking to get one Muscovy duck as they are supposedly the best incubators one can have ....
I hope there are still a few sisters in store for Lucky! :&>
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Hello again.
Sorry to hear of your hatch failings. Expeciall to a hawk :o Its a sair fecht
IMHO. In an ideal world, all things being equal an incubator may still be more reliable than a broody duck. It doesnt seem to matter which expert you ask, everyone seems to have a different formula and sometimes their information even conflicts! At the end of the day, everyone is probably correct as their formula works for them. So....Apart from avoiding the pitfalls and eliminating error all you can really do is work out what works in a given situation and stick to it.
Anyway.... COME ON THE B TEAM :excited:
We have B3 and B6 rocking now! At tea time, whilst i was feeding and watering Lucky I heard the tinyest peep from the incubator and then discovered the smallest eggs of clutch B ( B3 ) has externally pipped with a wee bump on the egg. so.... :fc: :fc: :fc: :fc:
Hopefully Lucky will get lucky. The B team is from completely different stock :)
We are not beaten yet... Lera and I have ordered another clutch of eggs, this time white crested IR's...again, different stock ) ( The C team) Our flock should have a good degree of genetic variation which will be great for breeding and some of them will have silly hats ( crests too boot ! )
We intend to learn from our failures and move forward in establishing our flock. I don't trust the digital hygrometer at all and plan to buy two calibrated clinical ( mercury in glass thermometers ) mount them together set up as wet bulb/dry bulb. No batteries to fail! less to go wrong( :fc:) I hope!
anyway tattie bye for now.
Robbie
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Robbie, try to just spray them with lukewarm water once or twice a day over the last 2 weeks - that's what we did to the successful hatches - just in case mum would not have enough baths. It seems to have done the trick! :&>
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Hello Again.
Yes we followed the spray regime. :raining: We have a professionally calibrated incubator thermometer and a mason hygrometer coming in next day or so, no more fumbling with half a dozen readings from half a dozen devices. None of our current units agree and there is about 1.5C degrees between the extreme disagreements!. ( These cheeper ( eggscuse the pun ) digital thermo/hygro units are great for quick/easy reference but only OK if you have a known calibrated device to reference them with.
I was up late watching duck TV.
"Lucky" is going from strength to strength. After starting him on warm water/glucose solution we gave warm milk with some yolk mixed through, them mashed up boiled egg. today he moved onto Dvorak ( A russian style cottage cheese, that the russians feed their ducklings ) and duckling starter crumb. He drank and ate immediately!
The tiniest egg from the B team hatched in the early hours. :thumbsup: It was knackered ( unlike Lucky who got up on his feet, eyes wide and stumbled about 15 mins after getting away from him egg. )
The new arrival hasn't drank anything, Im a bit concerned about dehydration.
Egg B6 ( the largest of them all! ) is still rocking and knocking but so sign of an ex pip yet.
Oh well. back to duck TV :)
Robbie
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I can recommend porridge - grows beautiful ducks (2 girls ;D just pretending it makes a difference there). :&>
you might be right calling Lucky a "he" ....I hope nr 2 and 3 are pulling through alright! :&>
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:wave: NFD Porridge.... good ok... thanks...
Oh........and thanks for the support :thumbsup: Appreciated!
I just managed to get a few drops of warm glucose/water into her/him and then immediately started preening her/himself, in a drunken manner :thumbsup:
Yes it would be fandabby if lucky ( pure bred white ) was a boy and the others girls .B3, no name as yet, has a black bill. If he is a Drake we would rename him "Vasily" and he would be our Alpha drake of the flock. I wouldn't know where to start about sexing them, just wait and see. :innocent:
Be well
Robbie
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oh, sexing is another cuppa altogether :roflanim:
I changed my mind countless times on the last one - to get back to the initial diagnosis from the method that is supposedly 50 % right :roflanim: : If you pick up a duckling and hold it against your ear, listen hard to the sound it makes - if it is crystal clear - girl - the ever so slightest roughness - boy. Worked for me - eventually :&>
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What are you listening for? ::)
I mean how, ...errrr...ummmm ::) ::) ::)
Really????
......................................................... :roflanim:
So ewe know how to sex duckings by listening "through" or "into" them?! ( i just went back and checked what ewe typed )
Crystal Clear?.... Slight roughness?
Lera's got a better ears than I, you should have seen her face when I told her your suggestion!
:roflanim:
B3 is slowly getting a couple of drops of warm milk with egg yolk mixed in every so often. She is Standing, Preening and peeping away between naps. Not so worried about dehydration now. Water is in her/it/his brooder. They are separated because lucky/vasily started going mental and pecking..... She/he/It wont drink on its own but is taking the nutrient solution with a pipette then I'm stroking :&>ys throat with my pinky to make :&> y swallow.
In comparison - Lucky/(Vasily) was crashing about the incubator in 15 minutes and eating and drinking almost as fast!
I think he/she/it will be fine. he/she/it is only 2 grams lighter than Lucky/etc....
Oh yeah on the subject of porridge, Leras Granny used to make porridge out of millet for her young ducks.
Take it easy over that thar hill :thumbsup:
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What are you listening for? ::)
I mean how, ...errrr...ummmm ::) ::) ::)
Really? ???
......................................................... :roflanim:
So ewe know how to sex duckings by listening "through" or "into" them?! ( i just went back and checked what ewe typed )
Crystal Clear?.... Slight roughness?
Lera's got a better ears than I, you should have seen her face when I told her your suggestion!
:roflanim:
:roflanim: :roflanim: - should maybe have explained it better - you try to listen to the voice characteristics when they peep into your ear :roflanim: :roflanim: :roflanim:
good luck with that - it worked for us - but as some folks said it's a bit 50/50 ;)
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sexing, i left a post further down is the poultry section as im having diffuculty with my 13 - though they are getting older now 5/6 weeks (i think - that un organised i didnt plot the day they turned up on the calender) their voices are starting to changed from the duckling 'peeps' into adult quacks, and i can deffinatly hear differences some sound like the ducks, and a few are making strange noises so im guessing they are the drakes.
You tube have videos on with people sexing them, i did find that quite usefull. depending on how accurtate my sexing is (hoping to get help) i would offer you a hand. im guessing your fairley local to me as you are a long the eden, im just outside cupar.
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Hi Robbie just got round to reading this thread and the detail you put in is very interesting. I have not done any incubating, just had day old chicks and turkeys, and now into 2nd year of chicken keeping have been able to hatch 2 clutches of eggs under broody hens - of these 8 of 10 chicks hatched from my own eggs with one chick subsequently dying at about 2 weeks old leaving 7 from the original 10, and in the second group 6 of 12 hatched from internet bought eggs.
The reason for me putting this in here in your thread is that I have found it so much more liberating and relaxing using the broodies rather than getting days olds as you can just let them get on with it and you don't have to worry about all the details of incubation that have kept you running about, and the mother hen cares for the chicks so much better than I can with my little electric lamp and carboard box. It is so great seeing the mother hen and chicks together.
I know you are not in a position to use broody hens to do the hatching, but maybe in future you will be able to use broodies.
I would like to try using an incubator some time just to try it out as of course I will not always have broodies ready to help when I might want to get some eggs hatched.
Good luck to you anyway.
Simon
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I know Cameron doesn't have a problem with breeding ;D but maybe some of us local here could share a Muscovy ? Apparently they are the best to get the job done and will be good mums. :&> Some have even given them hens' eggs although I'm not sure how the mothering will go that way round, have heard of broody hens incubating ducklings (although that does surprise me, as duck eggs do take a week longer that the hen puts up with that). :&>
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my last broody was solid as a rock for approx 5 weeks, the first 2 on a single egg until I got my internet delivery sorted out. I know I only got 50% hatch rate but I don't think this was due to a failure of sitting, and from other posts this is perhaps a reasonable percentage for internet eggs
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I tried 2 broody hens last year but both gave up, this year none could be bothered...
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depending on how accurtate my sexing is (hoping to get help) i would offer you a hand. im guessing your fairley local to me as you are a long the eden, im just outside cupar.
That would be very helpful. Thanks. We are indeed local. How old can they be sexed when they are wee?
maybe some of us local here could share a Muscovy ? Apparently they are the best to get the job done and will be good mums. :&> :&>
Kerstin. You are most welcome to borrow my incubator once I'm done. Its a Brinsea polyhatch ( it has been fitted with a small fan ) Our next clutch arrived this morning and are resting in the back lobby till the incubator is free in a couple of days. The C team are 18 Crested White Runners :)
Wee yin took a proper drink of water today first thing and we managed to get a little boiled egg and dvorak into the wee soul. We have put them together now, Vasily/lucky started preening it straight await. Weeyin looks like a trout!
Egg B6 externally pipped this morning and is rocking around. This was the biggest egg of the two clutches. So im gonna call it Big yin :)
We are so pleased Vasily/Lucky play has a wee pal now!
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Hi Robbie just got round to reading this thread and the detail you put in is very interesting. I have not done any incubating, just had day old chicks and turkeys, and now into 2nd year of chicken keeping have been able to hatch 2 clutches of eggs under broody hens - of these 8 of 10 chicks hatched from my own eggs with one chick subsequently dying at about 2 weeks old leaving 7 from the original 10, and in the second group 6 of 12 hatched from internet bought eggs.
The reason for me putting this in here in your thread is that I have found it so much more liberating and relaxing using the broodies rather than getting days olds as you can just let them get on with it and you don't have to worry about all the details of incubation that have kept you running about, and the mother hen cares for the chicks so much better than I can with my little electric lamp and carboard box. It is so great seeing the mother hen and chicks together.
I know you are not in a position to use broody hens to do the hatching, but maybe in future you will be able to use broodies.
I would like to try using an incubator some time just to try it out as of course I will not always have broodies ready to help when I might want to get some eggs hatched.
Good luck to you anyway.
Simon
Hi Simon
Nature knows whats best. ( mostly ) And seems to put little effort into the seemingly complicated process of embryos turning into little creatures. Though in our case we would have lost the first two if we hadn't intervened.
Transport hatching eggs can be hit and miss. ( I asked the supplier of the C Team to send SD ) as I have been told they don't go though the same sorting process as first class registered. This morning arrivals are in the back hall resting. I will open the box and have a wee peep when I get a mo. :fc:
Be well. Robbie
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Kerstin. You are most welcome to borrow my incubator once I'm done. Its a Brinsea polyhatch ( it has been fitted with a small fan ) Our next clutch arrived this morning and are resting in the back lobby till the incubator is free in a couple of days.
I may well come back to you on that offer come spring! I could do with a couple or so young hens but don't have a" heat chamber" for the cooler of weather! Some new young ducks will arrive soon so that will keep me entertained this autumn ;D :&>
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How many chickhen do you plan to incubate?
Are you hatching the ducklings yourself.?
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I'd like to try for 2 or 3 hens, so start with half a dozen to be on the safe side?
No, I only managed to have one of our own this year - a friend on here seems to have been quite successful this year, so I was offered a couple of girls, which I will happily accept to add to our lot of mongrels ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D :&>
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I'd like to try for 2 or 3 hens, so start with half a dozen to be on the safe side?
No, I only managed to have one of our own this year - a friend on here seems to have been quite successful this year, so I was offered a couple of girls, which I will happily accept to add to our lot of mongrels ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D :&>
Hybrids doncha mean? 8)
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politically more correct, yup :D :&>
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politically more correct, yup :D :&>
Politically yes but I was thinking more of the vigour and robust nature of most hybrids ( including plants ) Sometimes us humans selectively breed the Sh1t out of one variety or another. Dogs come to mind. The IMO the kennel club/breeders can do a huge amount of damage to various breeds. Mongrels are inherantly stronger. My old rough / border collie cross never visited the vet once in his long happy 23 year long life!
Anyway I just nipped on to say egg B6 is vigourously unzipping right in front of my eyes.
Im addicted to Duck TV....
or maybe thats Adducked! LOL :excited:
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Houston - At 20:30 BST " The Eagle" ( pronounced Duckling ) has landed. :roflanim:
B6 Booted its shell off in good style. We got it on video...A nice big duckling too... We are so pleased Vasily ( Lucky ) has some pals to play with. Not sure he's that bothered though, he already considers himself human!
I know Vasily is a pure bred white but what are the others? One looks just like the wild mallard ducklings I see on the riverbank here so Im thinking he's a trout! ( golden and dark brown with dark bill, legs and feet ) B6 is similar, lighter shade a bit more golden rather than brown and his bill, legs and feet are dark colour with pink bits... Is it a trout too? or cant ewe tell at this stage?
The next stage is about to begin. Follow the C teams development here http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=27625.0 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=27625.0)
Thank you all for your advice and support.
Robbie
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How are they getting on, robbie? Any new additions? I bet they keep you entertained and busy with mucking out! How's the feeding regime? I meant to say earlier, if you can avoid them, don't feed chick crumbs. Unmedicated duckling crumbs you will probably have to order. That's why I opted for porridge until I could feed duck growers pellets. :&>
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Orite Kerstin.
Hows it going your side of the hill?
We are fine thanks... Vasily/lucky, kroshka and big yin{b6} are growing sooooooooooooooo fast... They will outgrow the brooder very soon so I will have to build something bigger for them.
They are very entertaining. Vasily has been watching TV with me. he dosent seem as upright at I thought he might be. Kroshka ( crumble in russian ) is sooooper cute and quite a character, she walks very upright.
They are on chick/ducklin started crumb ( un-medicated ) and we have been giving them a little cottage cheese. We cut the egg because i'm concerned about them getting too higher protein ratios. We got it from fife crop services in pitscottie.
oh and I go some more crazy ideas about sexing ducklings ... will post soon on this...
wishing you well.
Robbie
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Hello all. Just to say our wee brood is growing alarmingly quickly, they are full of mischief. We are adding finely chopped foodscraps to their diet, lettuce, potato, cheese etc. They now have a predator proof :fc: run out the back for when its braw :sunshine:, They caught their first work and had a good squabble over it. They are still in the brooder at night. ( tho they are outgrowing it fast! ) Temperature in brooder is now 22 degs.
We bought a wooden shed for them on saturday, its actually a 6x4 wendy house made of weatherboard with a porch, very cute and very cheap ( or should that be cheep? :) ) ex demonstration delivered and constructed for £225 marked down from £600. :thumbsup: Quite posh for a duck! :thumbsup: it will arrive this week and we will set about insulating, wiring and lining it.
Vasilly is not scared of cats! Strolled up and pecked our old cat in the face soon as look at her, now she is avoiding ducks!. Hope he dosnt get too brave to quick I have been trying to explain not all cats are such a push over....
Anyway I hope you are all well, really wanted to make it to the show but been run aff oor feet! definately next year...
Take it easy folx.
Robbie
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Wow, that's luxury housing! I've only "insulated" our ramshackle houses with lino flooring (for easy clean purposes ;) ) - those birds have feathers to keep them cosy! If it's very frosty they get extra cardboard under their straw every few days to keep their feet dry.
Our cat also has the highest respect for the ducks from when they all came charging at her once - they are about the same size as the poor cat :roflanim: :&>
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The shed was so cheap ( cheep ) and well made so it will last for years. We have insulation panels, wires, sockets etc left over from our build. In my experience insulation goes a loooooong way to creating a happy environment. We built in sooooo much into our house, best thing we ever did. You can have enough of it! A couple of sheets for the ducks is nothing, the shed will be cheaper to heat ( protecting or late hatchlings! ) and as a bonus it be cooler on a sunny day!
LINO FLOORING - good idea. why did i not think of that?! Doh!
The Ducks have been ensconced in their new residence. They are very happy to be out of the brooder. They like to visit the kitchen when Leras cooking, and the living room for a movie :) If we put a small towel on the floor they stay on it quite happily. ( they had towels down in the brooder )
They are little characters. Still trying to gauge sex... croshka has a horseness about her/his/other voice sometimes when she is talking/chatting away and then other times she/he/it peeps normally... Is it a sign? Lera soooo wishes her to be a girl.. Very adventurous and bolt upright in stance, she/he/it will be a stunning adult duck whatever the sex.
Vasily/lucky and bigyin ( the largest egg ) .... still peeping away like they always have done. Vas/Luck is gonna be big!
Cheerypeeps! :wave:
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Vasily the Duck has gone from this....
To this....In three weeks!
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Thanks for sharing the pics - lovely!! :&>