Archive

Posts Tagged ‘ducks’

Duck Hatching Eggs

February 10th, 2010 No comments

Duck Hatching Eggs
I need your personal experience on hatching duck eggs!!!!?

i am going to incubate 12 cayuga duck eggs in this fallowing week. In a little giant incubator
I would like to hear all of your personal experience with hatching duck eggs!
thanks

I hatch duck eggs and chicken eggs. I also have the same incubator as you do.

You need temp at 98 degrees. Marking (x) on one side and (o) on other helps u to know what side they need to be on. If you have a atomatic turner with yours then you may not need to mark on them.(use pencil only). You need to have plenty of water in incubator so the ducklings dont dry up and die. Make sure the rings have water in it at all times. Turn them 3 times a day. They are to be turned until 3 days befor hatch, it takes 28 days for them to hatch so stop turning on day 25 of incubation. Check there progress by candling them with a flashlight on day 11. You will see veins and a lill baby. On day 25 you will see movment of eggs somtimes later or earlier. That normal. They will somtimes pip a hole 2 days early or on hatch day. It can taks up to 24 hrs to hatch, so be patiant. After it hatches make sur its dried then transfer them to brooder and make sure they have plenty of water, all that work they need to be refueld.

The brooder need to be pretty big to hold those babies. A big dog kennel works. I prefer a baby play pen cause of size. Put straw, towels, or puppy pads down so it will be an easyer mess to clean. Pine shavings are really bad to put down cause they can eat and choke causing death. All you need down is water, lots. No food for 1 hrs because they have some yold and need only water at that time. They need a heat lamp too until 3 weeks of age. They can swim some on day 2 of life. Make sure you keep an eye on them, they still have no fur and can get cold fast, so short times swimming for the 1st week or so. After 3 weeks they can have there own kiddy pool.

They are now able to be put outside. They need a safe pen, safe from preditors like racoons, cyotes, fox, and flying preditors like owls and hawks. The pen needs a barrier to keep them out of the pen. Long thin plywood can work and put extra chicken wire around so the preditors cant grab them. And a roof from not just flying preditors but snow and other weather. Inside needs to be a doghouse with straw in it so they can lay eggs and sleep in it.. If you dont have a pond a kiddy pool is fine. If you dont want to go through all that hassel building a pen, if you have a fenced in yard they will stay in beause they know and will stay with you. And then at night just put them in garage or shed.

and of course love them to death. Have fun!!!
any Q's ask me:
bethbethani@yahoo.com

Heat Lamp brooder pheasant quail chukar chicken duck bobwhite hatching eggs
Heat Lamp brooder pheasant quail chukar chicken duck bobwhite hatching eggs
Paypal   US $75.00
36 FLYING Mallard Duck Hatching Eggs Fertile Fresh Smallest Bantam SALE
36 FLYING Mallard Duck Hatching Eggs Fertile Fresh Smallest Bantam SALE
Paypal   US $36.00
RARE FERTILE AUSTRALIAN SPOTTED DUCK EGGS FOR HATCHING — NINE EGGS
RARE FERTILE AUSTRALIAN SPOTTED DUCK EGGS FOR HATCHING — NINE EGGS
Paypal   US $35.00
12 ASSORTED BANTAM CALL DUCK HATCHING EGGS NPIP
12 ASSORTED BANTAM CALL DUCK HATCHING EGGS NPIP
Paypal   US $30.00
120 Paper DUCK Turkey egg Flats cartons hatching eggs
120 Paper DUCK Turkey egg Flats cartons hatching eggs
Paypal   US $26.99
6 SUPER RARE BUFF BANTAM CALL DUCK HATCHING EGGS NPIP
6 SUPER RARE BUFF BANTAM CALL DUCK HATCHING EGGS NPIP
Paypal   US $25.00
102 Blue Swedish duck hatching eggs
102 Blue Swedish duck hatching eggs
Paypal   US $26.95
102 Cayuga duck hatching eggs
102 Cayuga duck hatching eggs
Paypal   US $25.95
24 MALLARD DUCK HATCHING EGGS
24 MALLARD DUCK HATCHING EGGS
Paypal   US $22.00
24 Fertile Ancona Fawn Runner Rouen Duck eggs 4 hatching in incubator
24 Fertile Ancona Fawn Runner Rouen Duck eggs 4 hatching in incubator
Paypal   US $20.00
6 FLYING Mallard Duck Hatching Eggs Fertile Fresh Smallest Bantam Sale
6 FLYING Mallard Duck Hatching Eggs Fertile Fresh Smallest Bantam Sale
Paypal   US $20.00
24 call duck eggshatchingincubator eggs
24 call duck eggshatchingincubator eggs
Paypal   US $20.00
10 Saxony Duck Hatching Eggs 2 extra eggs SQ Holderread stock ships 5 29
10 Saxony Duck Hatching Eggs 2 extra eggs SQ Holderread stock ships 5 29
Paypal   US $25.00
Muscovy Hatching Duck Eggs 12 LOW ship $s asst blue lav blk wht pied rippled
Muscovy Hatching Duck Eggs 12 LOW ship $s asst blue lav blk wht pied rippled
Paypal   US $26.00
12 Ringneck Pheasant Eggs quail chukar chicken duck bobwhite hatching
12 Ringneck Pheasant Eggs quail chukar chicken duck bobwhite hatching
Paypal   US $20.00
8 RARE Purebred Silver Appleyard Duck Hatching Eggs NPIP CERTIFIED
8 RARE Purebred Silver Appleyard Duck Hatching Eggs NPIP CERTIFIED
Paypal   US $17.50
6 FRESHTINY QUALITY CALL DUCK HATCHING EGGSMANY COLORS ADDED BABY PICS
6 FRESHTINY QUALITY CALL DUCK HATCHING EGGSMANY COLORS ADDED BABY PICS
   US $17.00
18 MALLARD DUCK HATCHING EGGS
18 MALLARD DUCK HATCHING EGGS
Paypal   US $16.00
10 White Bantam Call Duck Hatching Eggs Pure not mixed with other colors NPIP
10 White Bantam Call Duck Hatching Eggs Pure not mixed with other colors NPIP
Paypal   US $15.50
Call Duck 6 Hatching Eggs
Call Duck 6 Hatching Eggs
Paypal   US $15.00
6 Silver Welsh Harlequin hatching duck eggs SQ parents from Holderreads
6 Silver Welsh Harlequin hatching duck eggs SQ parents from Holderreads
Paypal   US $20.00
50 Paper Duck Turkey egg flats cartons hatching eggs
50 Paper Duck Turkey egg flats cartons hatching eggs
Paypal   US $15.00
ROUEN DUCK EGGS FERTILE FOR HATCHING eggs are LAID NOW and ready for shipping
ROUEN DUCK EGGS FERTILE FOR HATCHING eggs are LAID NOW and ready for shipping
Paypal   US $25.99
12 Muscovy Duck Hatching Eggs Fresh and Fertile
12 Muscovy Duck Hatching Eggs Fresh and Fertile
Paypal   US $14.99
Welsh Harliquin Duck Hatching Eggs 72
Welsh Harliquin Duck Hatching Eggs 72
Paypal   US $17.50
5 Peking Duck Hatching Eggs Selling NOW
5 Peking Duck Hatching Eggs Selling NOW
Paypal   US $14.00
View Page:   1  2  3

Duck Hatching Eggs

Selection of Duck Breeds and Care of Breeder Ducks

The selection of vigorous breeding duck stock is essential. Breeder ducks are selected from the earliest hatches of the year, with the initial selection being made when the birds are about 8 weeks old. A final selection is made before they are placed in the breeder pens. Breeders should be uniform in size and at the approximate weight range for the breed used, having a full breast, deep keel, long back with good width between the legs. In making the selection, it is a good idea to walk the birds for several hundred yards. Eliminate those that have difficulty walking at a reasonable speed.

Breeder ducks are most profitable during their first laying year. However, they can be used successfully for 4 or 5 years. In backyard flocks it would be more desirable to keep ducks for several years.

Five to eight ducks can be matted to each drake. In colder weather, limit the number of ducks per drake to five. In warmer weather increase it to eight.

Drakes may be determined by their larger size, higher-pitched voices and more erect carriage than ducks. Ducks have a distinct 'quack', drakes do not 'quack'.

In handling ducks, pick them up by the next rather than by the legs, which are easily broken.

Breeder ducks require very little equipment for their care. For farm flocks, a shed or colony brooder house is satisfactory. Provide 5 sq ft of floor space per bird in the house.

Dirt floors may be used in building if the soil is light and sandy, but concrete floors are recommended as they are easily cleaned and more sanitary.

Since ducks lay most of their eggs in the morning, confine them in the breeder house until noon, so that all eggs will be laid in the house. Provide nest boxes and place them on the floor where the ducks have easy access to them. Provide one nest box for every five ducks.

Any feed or water equipment that is satisfactory for chickens can be used for ducks. Water troughs should be designed to keep birds out. Otherwise, the water will become filthy and a potential health hazard.

About the Author

Breeding ducks should not be too fat when they commence to lay. Overweight can be avoided by maintaining ducks selected for breeders on a holding ration. Approximately 1 month before the ducks start to lay, give them a breeding ration which is pelleted and fed free choice. If you would like to learn more about raising ducks and avoid costly mistakes, please visit: http://www.howtoraiseducks.com