• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Duckling dilema

Hawk12237

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
3/5/19
Messages
5,106
Location
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Real Name
Michael
You can not just step straight in and help until the right time or the chicks will be killed. It is not as simple as just helping the chick out of the egg- this in itself is quite a serious and dangerous process if you do not take your time or if you start too soon and do not know what to look out for.
Why not? I've done it many times with no issues. Once the chick breaks the egg and there's a peep hole there's not a n issue To help and never lost a single one. not one. I'm very well versed in that, chickens, quail, pheasants, ducks...
 
Last edited:

Shezbug

ASK ME FOR PICTURES OF MY MACAW!
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/28/18
Messages
25,830
Location
Vic, Australia
Real Name
Shez
ummm yes there is. There is actually more to it than just busting the chick out of the shell once there is a pip, check the links out if you do not believe me- I have seen it end horribly way too often..... my grandfather used to raise all sorts of chicks for a living including but not limited to emus and ostriches- you do not just smash the baby out of the shell because it has broken a peep hole!! There is a reason it naturally takes them longer than a few seconds to get out of the shell once there is a peep hole! I have also never had a mother chook be overwhelmed nor seen another poultry mother become overwhelmed- on the contrary I have seen them steal more babies from other less experienced mother hens.
 

Hawk12237

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
3/5/19
Messages
5,106
Location
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Real Name
Michael
ummm yes there is. There is actually more to it than just busting the chick out of the shell once there is a pip, check the links out if you do not believe me- I have seen it end horribly way too often..... my grandfather used to raise all sorts of chicks for a living including but not limited to emus and ostriches- you do not just smash the baby out of the shell because it has broken a peep hole!! There is a reason it naturally takes them longer than a few seconds to get out of the shell once there is a peep hole! I have also never had a mother chook be overwhelmed nor seen another poultry mother become overwhelmed- on the contrary I have seen them steal more babies from other less experienced mother hens.
Listen ...your putting words in other people's mouths, where does " smash" come from?? I don't smash the egg open for crying out loud. I've done it a thousand times. I could do it with my eyes closed. Is appreciated it if you don't go assuming crap
 

Shezbug

ASK ME FOR PICTURES OF MY MACAW!
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/28/18
Messages
25,830
Location
Vic, Australia
Real Name
Shez
If you read it again you will see I never accused you of using any particular words..... I do not believe I even attempted to quote you, so, no need for you to feel like I accused you of anything @Hawk12237 :)
Please do not ever accuse me again of assuming crap when I am obviously not the person assuming CRAP!
 

Hawk12237

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Joined
3/5/19
Messages
5,106
Location
Frankenmuth, Michigan
Real Name
Michael
If you read it again you will see I never accused you of using any particular words..... I do not believe I even attempted to quote you, so, no need for you to feel like I accused you of anything @Hawk12237 :)
Please do not ever accuse me again of assuming crap when I am obviously not the person assuming CRAP!
Well, lol, you did say "bust" the chick out and "smash" the baby out, did you not?? Perhaps your phrase of speech.
I do things in this manner involving chicks in eggs very very carefully... And gently. My uncle raised quail, pheasants and ducks. I myself raise chickens. It really not hard to do at all
But you do have to do it at the right time and in stages. :)
 

Khizz

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/31/19
Messages
4,495
Sorry @Zara I can't be much help here as my in-laws don't hatch the ducklings themselves, they only get ducklings if something has happened to the previous flock and there happen to be fertile eggs. Then they just hand them to the breeder. Otherwise they just get some fully-grown ducks.

But I will eagerly await an update! :)
 

fashionfobie

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
1/4/19
Messages
5,246
Location
Qld, Australia
Real Name
Natalie
I feel bad for being late to this thread. I don't have any advice on duck eggs with chicks sadly.

Hoping for the best!
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
How are the eggs/duckilings coming along? I hope all is going well
 

Peachfaced

The Peachy Inkpress
JOLLY-PATROLLY
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
11/17/09
Messages
11,745
Location
FL
Real Name
Sadie
Small update (video was emailed to me)

 

Catherine89

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
5/26/17
Messages
1,510
Location
Gainesville Fl
Real Name
Catherine
I don't know to much about ducks but I assume they are much like chickens. There incubation age I know averages 26 days but they could go over that, if you do help I would do it at the last moment possible to early could kill them and I would do as much research as you can before trying
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
Yea they're adorable! I'm glad things are going well, sound like your dad is doing great!
 

fashionfobie

Biking along the boulevard
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
1/4/19
Messages
5,246
Location
Qld, Australia
Real Name
Natalie
In my experience with ducklings I have always been shocked by how fragile they are. Baby chickens seem very sturdy in comparison. Ducklings seem to get themselves cold very easily. I think it is because of their natural attraction to water, which isn't great before they have their adult feathers.

It would be good to get them a chick watering dish to prevent them from splashing themselves too much, especially when they are left to their own choices. They can have access to an open water dish/bath under supervision.
 

Khizz

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
3/31/19
Messages
4,495
Awwww the ducklings are soooooo cute!

I remember when my in-laws had ducklings. It was just before we moved to Switzerland, and my husband moved back a month before me. He would Skype me from the room they kept the ducklings in and occasionally pick one up and rub it against his face. Boy was I jealous :sad3: Occasionally he would quack at them, that was slightly weird...

Eventually I learned that a key part of duck ownership is quacking back at them :laughin:
 

dllang777

Meeting neighbors
Joined
5/17/20
Messages
20
Real Name
Don
I took a little vid of the 1st 3 out of the incubator. We have them in a tub under a red heat lamp so as i was checking the temp, they were chasing the laser dot. Hoping Sadie can post it. 2 more hatched today. they are still in the bator. Not sure about the last 2 eggs. I heard noises and saw movement the other day. So we shall watch them a bit longer.
 
Top