Incubating Wood Ducks - Similated Drop?

[BayouBird]

S,o I have not seen much on it, and am thinking it is not a thing but this is my first time incubating wood ducks and I am wondering if you need to do a simulated drop a couple days after hatching? I have 6 eggs viable 4 days from hatch date. Any insight is appreciated!

 

[Kiki]

S,o I have not seen much on it, and am thinking it is not a thing but this is my first time incubating wood ducks and I am wondering if you need to do a simulated drop a couple days after hatching? I have 6 eggs viable 4 days from hatch date. Any insight is appreciated!

What do you mean by simulated drop?

 

[SilverBirds]

I don't think you need to simulate a jump for them, but @MGG breeds wood ducks and should know.

 

[007Sean]

No, you don't need to simulate them 'dropping out of the nest'!

 

[Kiki]

I don't think you need to simulate a jump for them, but @MGG breeds wood ducks and should know.

Of course you would not need to drop a duckling you hatched in a bator.

 

[BayouBird]

What do you mean by simulated drop?

Like getting up a ladder and letting them jump out a brooder box into a small pool or something. Similar to what they have to do in the wild. I watch them do it in my avaiary every year but my grandfather would always tell me growing up a wood duck must jump out the nest to 'shock' it into its natural instincts.

 

[BayouBird]

Of course you would not need to drop a duckling you hatched in a bator.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[MGG]

I have heard of this and know a lot of old timers that swear by it and do it with every tree duck they hatch. It won't hurt them, but in my opinion, it's not necessary. I've raised loads of wood ducks and never dropped any of them and they're all fine.

Where did you get these eggs?

 

[Kiki]

Like getting up a ladder and letting them jump out a brooder box into a small pool or something. Similar to what they have to do in the wild. I watch them do it in my avaiary every year but my grandfather would always tell me growing up a wood duck must jump out the nest to 'shock' it into its natural instincts.

Will it be needing it's natural instincts coming out of an incubator. No.

 

[MGG]

Will it be needing it's natural instincts coming out of an incubator. No.

Well, some of the harder varieties of ducks won't start eating unless you drop them, at least from what I've heard from the people who raise them. Goldeneye and buffleheads, for example, do need the kickstart of dropping mentioned, supposedly. They just sit there and refuse to eat or drink unless they're dropped 6 feet or more. But wood ducks and the other common tree ducks definitely do not.