First duckling hatch of 2025!

[My15Ducks]

Your ducks are so cute! Have you always incubated your duck eggs? I have a khaki pair, and she is finally somewhat broody. I know they aren’t too known to be maternal. She has a nest and such but I’m worried she’s not going to lay on them long enough for them to survive. My drake is so territorial of the coop since she’s made a nest. He seems to care more than she does She laid a nest of 11 eggs but unfortunately we got a freeze and they didn’t survive. It’s now going to be in the 60’s-70’s. I’m completely open to incubating if that’s the only way I can get her some babies successfully! Just wondering if you’ve had a successful hatch without having to interfere with the eggs.

Hi, sometimes I let my ducks hatch ducklings. 3 of my girls are excellent moms and have very high hatch rates. I had one girl abandon her nest when the ducklings hatched. Years ago I had Khaki Campbells and none of them hatched ducklings successfully. They always abandoned the nest not long after going broody. My mama ducks now are not pure Khaki Campbells, so that may help.

 

[MyTxPatos]

Hi, sometimes I let my ducks hatch ducklings. 3 of my girls are excellent moms and have very high hatch rates. I had one girl abandon her nest when the ducklings hatched. Years ago I had Khaki Campbells and none of them hatched ducklings successfully. They always abandoned the nest not long after going broody. My mama ducks now are not pure Khaki Campbells, so that may help.

Looks like I’m going to incubate then. Thanks for all your help. I swear khakis give more sass and personality than contribute anything else I still love them though!!

 

[My15Ducks]

Day 9 update: I removed all the infertile eggs so I just have the 2 Runner eggs left. Hang in there little R2 & R5!

 

[My15Ducks]

Day 11: I started mist & cool routine yesterday. Both embryos are going strong. I’m so nervous

 

[My15Ducks]

I’m playing music for my little duck embryos to encourage them to live - yes I’m crazy and no I don’t plan on changing I did it for my last batch of ducklings too

 

[Bolfreak]

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I’m playing music for my little duck embryos to encourage them to live - yes I’m crazy and no I don’t plan on changing I did it for my last batch of ducklings too

My only criticism would be genre choice…like thrash metal or hard rap probably not great. Also no Bob Dylan or they hatch out really emo

 

[My15Ducks]

Day 16 and R2 & R5 are still going strong! Hoping to see some wiggling soon. Still not sure what music they like best..

 

[Sondraa]

I played sounds of mother ducks chatting with their ducklings and i spoke to them often. I do think sounds encourage them to hatch.

 

[My15Ducks]

Little R2 & R5 are on day 24. R5 is doing good- I see some wiggles and it’s air cell is starting to dip down. R2 is stressing me out. It’s air cell has not dipped down yet, and last night it took forever for me to see movement when I was candling it. I’m wondering if it is upside down because I had one that pipped in the pointy end before, and that one also never had the air cell dip down. It still has a few days to get sorted out. I know there’s nothing I can do except wait

 

[Bolfreak]

Little R2 & R5 are on day 24. R5 is doing good- I see some wiggles and it’s air cell is starting to dip down. R2 is stressing me out. It’s air cell has not dipped down yet, and last night it took forever for me to see movement when I was candling it. I’m wondering if it is upside down because I had one that pipped in the pointy end before, and that one also never had the air cell dip down. It still has a few days to get sorted out. I know there’s nothing I can do except wait

You’re doing good! I don’t look for movement, in the last week or so it’s a dark blob usually. Sometimes you can see shadowing before they pop through the membrane. Ducks seem to take FORever and rest a lot compared to turkeys and geese. I also had a duck pip on the wrong end but just monitored her carefully and only helped if necessary, basically after she’d zipped all around and was struggling to get out of the half shell. She was perfectly fine and grew just like the rest, you’d never know.