Author Topic: Advise for new ducklings due to hatch- hatching, brooder etc (Read 2945 times)

twizzel · « **on:** July 18, 2013, 03:13:10 pm »

So I bought some Aylesbury duck eggs. First time incubating, although OH's mum has hatched chicken eggs before in the incubator we are using. I bought 12 eggs and we are now on day 19, I've just candled them and blow me down I think I've got 8 viable eggs

So I need to start getting my brooder ready.
I've got a big 50litre plastic storage box that I was thinking of using as a brooder whilst they are under heat. I've got a heat lamp with the right bulb in it too. Can I bed them on pine wood shavings? Or wood flakes (the horse type big flake shavings)? I've got some chick crumbs left from a few rooster chicks we are rearing, can I use them, the blurb on the internet says the brand I've got are non medicated. I'll get a drinker too.
Also day 28 is next Saturday which isn't an issue, but I am working on day 29 (Sunday). How long can chicks stay in the incubator for? Just trying to work out if I need to get someone to keep an eye and move any on the Sunday whilst I'm working. When I put them in the incubator I had the weekend off... but got asked to photograph a horse show last minute (I'm an event photographer) so that ruined my plans!
Can anyone offer any words of wisdom?

doganjo · « **Reply #1 on:** July 18, 2013, 03:27:00 pm »

Have the brooder set up ready a day or so before they are due, but keep an eye on them in case they hatch early. Check the incy before you leave and again when you corm back. They'll be fine for that length of time - chickens can be left for 24hours without being moved to brooder as they survive on the yolk sac.

Not sure about a plastic box and a heat lamp though. I used a polystyrene one but had the lamp raised on two wooden spars so it didn't overheat and melt

twizzel · « **Reply #2 on:** July 18, 2013, 03:36:39 pm »

Oooh I've got a large dog crate too? I could zip tie some cardboard around the base to cover the mesh up... could that work?

doganjo · « **Reply #3 on:** July 18, 2013, 04:50:25 pm »

I had a cardboard box inside the polystyrene one and had to remove it quite quickly as it got sodden. But a dog cage with a plastic or metal base would work. That's what I have in case my new quail need to be restricted.

Not sure you even need the cardboard round the sides so long as they can't get through. Maybe use it for a few days but they grow really fast.

It's very exciting!

twizzel · « **Reply #4 on:** July 18, 2013, 04:54:50 pm »

I'm so excited! Turns out our dog cage went back to the friend we borrowed it from... so will have to rethink that one, or try and pick one up second hand. Thanks for your help

doganjo · « **Reply #5 on:** July 18, 2013, 04:56:53 pm »

Try Freecycle, Freegle, or Gumtree - or find a breeder you can borrow one from.

HesterF · « **Reply #6 on:** July 18, 2013, 09:54:58 pm »

I used a large dog crate and it worked well. Two things to bear in mind is that they grow really quickly and they're really messy. I bought the flexi MDF board to make a circle inside the crate and had an electric brooder inside that. Just draft proofed them for a few days. By two weeks I had to take the MDF out and have it on the outside. You want something round the outside of an open mesh crate because ducks get their food, mix it with water and then spread it everywhere. I had them in the kitchen next to a shelving unit and even through the gap in the MDF, they managed to splatter everything with a soggy food mix. By three weeks I had to get them outside even though they were unfeathered - wouldn't be a problem at the moment though.

After a couple of weeks, they should have enough water to get their heads under too (which just adds to the mess) but wait until they're pretty stable before you try that.

Oh, and they can hatch over a couple of days but fine to leave in the incubator for up to 24 hours (and best to leave in for a while anyway) so Sunday should be fine,

H