The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: northfifeduckling on June 25, 2009, 10:02:55 pm
-
to all the experienced "incubators" - I found a nest of my favourite duck this afternoon. 5 eggs from 5 consecutive days. She had started sitting on them, not at night time though as the birds get shut sway. I am very tempted to ask James to give it a go in the incubator, but is it worth it or does it not matter in the early days? At the moment they are in the kitchen in a box...:&>
-
If you have access to an incubator then why not! You'll only wonder what if....................................... ;)
-
I'm sure James will know but I think that unless they sit for a good part of each day the egg won't 'set', so you may be lucky. Depends if she sat on them all day while the other birds were outside too. If she did then she may have started them and being off them at night will have stopped them growing. But you have nothing to lose really - you can't eat them can you?
-
oh, we would eat them - it's just having had my favourite's offered on a silver plate and the broody thought arose, lol...
-
Hmm - if she has set them they may look a bit strange inside though. I wouldn't eat them myself.
-
yes if she sits on them for 12+ hours then you pull her off over night i would not even bother trying. the eggs are going to be dead. i would not eat them unless you fancy feeling sick but if you want to go for it. all those changes in temp will have spoilt them. break one open and see.
-
Thanks for your advice. She sat definitely up to 9 hours during the last 3 days, so I will let the broody moment pass this time, but I am certain now what I want to do next spring, provided I find them before she sits and of course assuming that James is still up for it then. :&>
-
if she is broody let her do it.
-
I probably would if she decided to lay in the house but she will not be allowed to stay outside overnight to sit, sorry duck! Our experience with the natural way was very traumatic last year. We lost all but one duckling to either the cold and poor mothering skills and a sparrowhawk's visit. :&>
-
Why wait till she is broody then - you've given James eggs to incubate already so why not again?
-
I won't make it dependent on her being broody...It is more that I got broody yesterday when I found her nest, before that I was determined to have no more this year! Although James asked me if I wanted to come to the Poultry Sale and I am very tempted, too! My man just raised his eyebrows when I mentioned it...:&>