Hatchery/Store Ducklings vs Hatched eggs from home

[indianaducks]

Last spring i bought multiple batches of ducklings from tractor supply and rural king... because they are addicting. It always took about a week for them to settle into life in the brooder and start really growing. I didn't think much of it other than they'd been under stress of shipping and being in a store and riding home from the store, etc. Then 1.5 weeks ago I hatched eggs from my own ducks, in an incubator at home. I assumed it would also take about a week for them to really start growing. No, it took about 36 hours. I guess in hindsight it all makes sense. They are super active, seemingly healthy, and growing like crazy ducklings. They didn't get shiped or sit in a store for a few days. Just interesting to see how it all plays out.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Over all, (excluding nasty things picked up or passed down), I've noticed my hatched ones get up and running easier and usually are a bit bigger at the end because of it. Not hating on shipped ones because even I buy a ton of shipped ones. But my ones I hatch and raise are usually healthiest out of shipped, brooded, and naturally brooded.

 

[indianaducks]

Over all, (excluding nasty things picked up or passed down), I've noticed my hatched ones get up and running easier and usually are a bit bigger at the end because of it. Not hating on shipped ones because even I buy a ton of shipped ones. But my ones I hatch and raise are usually healthiest out of shipped, brooded, and naturally brooded.

Not hating on shipped ones either. Just never thought of it really until I hatched my own. And we were like "well it'll take about a week for them to really start being crazy and eating and growing a ton" since that's what all the previous store bought ducklings were like. But 36 hours after moving to the brooder from the incubator and bam they are nuts! And they are gigantic already! I love seeing them so happy.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Not hating on shipped ones either. Just never thought of it really until I hatched my own. And we were like "well it'll take about a week for them to really start being crazy and eating and growing a ton" since that's what all the previous store bought ducklings were like. But 36 hours after moving to the brooder from the incubator and bam they are nuts! And they are gigantic already! I love seeing them so happy.

Have you ever gotten that food gel with your shipped ones? That seemed to help my batch last year

 

[indianaducks]

Have you ever gotten that food gel with your shipped ones? That seemed to help my batch last year

I've never had them shipped from the hatchery. I just bought mine from TS/RK in the spring.