Hi there,
I am new to the forum and wonder if any-one has any advice for me . My apricot call has sat brilliantly on 9 eggs for 28 days . We candled today and 2 have piped internally, If these hatch will she continue to sit the rest or give up ? Either way how soon can they be moved to safer quarters? I have sucessfully used an incubator but this is new to me.
Thanks Queenie
Farming Friends Forum » Ducks
Broody call duck near to hatching
(36 posts)-
Posted 3 years ago #
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Wow, congratulations, can't give advice but well done . Regards Mama.
Goose GirlPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi Queenie
Great news about your little call duck sitting the eggs. I had one little mallard duckling hatched last year and afterwards the wee call duck sat another day in nest afterwards even I took her off, (there was no other eggs though). When the 2 piped eggs hatches I would just move them onto a heat lamp seperately as quickly as possible, then see how things go. Maybe some of the other eggs are infertile. Sounds brilliant she was able to sit 9 eggs.
Little ducklings are such a pleasure. Best Wishes, I hope this helps.
LornaPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi Queenie,
your mother duck will brood the rest of the eggs for the next couple of days don't worry. Where are they atm? aren't they in a safe place already where she has been brooding? if you send me your email address i can give you my duckling hatch diary and you can look here on my earlier thread. http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=165
you can email me at duckydoodah@live.co.uk
SarahSarah LPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi new friends,
Thanks for your imput nice to get some advice.
To answer your question Sarah, yes she is "safe" at the moment but instead of laying in her nice cosy hut she chose to build a nest in amongst my garden tools in the corner of a shed. I am a bit worried how Romeo her mate will react to ducklings
QueeniePosted 3 years ago # -
Please don't remove any of the ducklings as the mother will get terribly upset and she may stop brooding the rest. Her mate should be allowed to stay with them unless you have cause for concern. Mine was an extremely good parent. As long as they have access to clean water and food, they will be quite ok where they are til they are all hatched. They will need food and water straight away in that shed and she will then lead them to water for a swim on day 2-3.
If you need any more help, please refer to my previous suggestion.
SarahSarah LPosted 3 years ago # -
Hello again,
The advice I have been given on the forum in the last few hours has been most helpful , Im hope within a day or so I will have some news on the duckling hatch.
It is so nice to find like minded duck lovers to "chat" to. In the area I live most people think I'm a little mad
QueeniePosted 3 years ago # -
lol, perhaps we are all a "little mad" but it makes us nicer and happier people :)
Sarah LPosted 3 years ago # -
Well welcome to the mad gang Queenie. Look forward to the update ,Regards Mama
Goose GirlPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi everyone,
Iam so excited I had to give you all a quick update on my clever little broody call, we suspected last night that there might be some action in the nest then at 3pm today mum treated us to the first 'Photo call of 2 georgeous ducklings, we hope for more but she is sitting tight on the nest. We have hatched eggs in the incubator before but this is something special
QueeniePosted 3 years ago # -
So right Queenie, It is a wonderful experince seeing mummy whatever hatching. Look forward to pics and congratulations GRANDMA....1111111 Mama
Goose GirlPosted 3 years ago # -
hi,
I would love to share pics with you but not sure how to do it
queeniePosted 3 years ago # -
Sara Will advise you on that if you just ask . She uploaded lots of pics for me. Good luck . Mama
Goose GirlPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi Queenie
Good news about your little ducklings hatching.
Best Wishes
Ps Sometimes you do have to take the ducklings away as they need to be under a heat lamp especially little call ducks as they are delicate. I have had them for a long time and it can be trial and error, so I do know. I had one little one who remained with its Mum about a year ago and it did not live. One lady who has a lot of experience told me to always put them under the heat lamp 24 hrs a day as they thrive better.
Lorna
Posted 3 years ago # -
Hi Queenie,
Welcome to the farmingfriends forum. Glad that everyone has been giving you good advice and knowledge from their own experiences which is always useful and helpful to hear.Glad to hear that you apricot call has had 2 ducklings. She will continue to sit if she thinks the other eggs will hatch. i have read that they can feel the ducklings moving inside. I would love to see photos of the duck and ducklings. I will email you so you can send the photos and I can upload them to the forum as I have to host them on my website for them to show!
How has Romeo taken to the ducklings? Well I hope!
Hi Lorna,
It's interesting to hear about the call ducks and the need for heat. When you have put the ducklings under the lamp do you bring the mother with them if they are raised by a duck? Are call ducks alot more delicate than other duck breeds - if so why is that?Kind regards
sarta @ farmingfriendsPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi Sara
Yes the wee call ducks are more delicate as they are very small in size and as you know are bantam breeds. About 11yrs ago when my wee white ones hatched they had been incubated under a hen and she incubated them the whole time until all were hatched even up to 2 wks after. As soon as each duckling/s hatched I took them and put them under a heat lamp and also they had an area where they could eat and drink away from the heat. I had read Tom Bartlett's book, and watched the video he made at Folly Farm the sanctuary he owned then and that was what he recommended for all ducklings. They have to stay there about 2 weeks before they can venture outside. I did the same with Jill and she was OK.
The woman I spoke to also said that often wee call ducks tend to mother ducklings too much i.e. she will not let them out from under her and it was a hard job getting the little one that I let wee Ginger the apricot call raise herself last year get food, but it was a late hatch, I felt so bad after it died then for not putting it under the heat lamp and I said I would make same mistake with Jill.
No I did not put Faith the wee duck who brought Jill out in with her as she had pecked/attacked at little Jill as soon as she hatched. The egg Faith sat was Ginger's so I think when Faith saw the mallard coulured duckling and not a yellow ball of fluff, she knew it was not her duckling!! I had tried later that night but she was not interested.
It was the same with the hen 11yrs previously, she did her job in sitting and she wanted no part in the raising of them.
Sorry if this is a bit long and rambly, I hope you can follow it.Best Wishes
LornaPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi All
I just wanted to reply to somthing Sarah(Campbell Ridge) had posted earlier about not taking the wee ducklings away from their Mum, I did not mean to say that you should always do that, maybe I did not explain things just right, but I was just going from my experience. I know in the wild the mallard ducks rear their young naturally, but then they are not domesticated ducks, they have to do it themselves.Best Regards
Lorna.Posted 3 years ago # -
"I said I would make same mistake with Jill."
I meant to say I would NOT make the same mistake with Jill.
Brain has gone to mush.!!
Lorna
Posted 3 years ago # -
Hi Lorna,
Thanks for explaining about your experiences with different ducklings and different broody hens and ducks! Sorry to hear about Ginger. Glad that Jill was ok. Maybe Faith could sense that Ginger was not well. It is amazing how birds now when another is not well. I am always shocked how hens will pick on another hen when she is poorly and yet we as humans will look after each other. When Little Princess, my duck, was poorly a few months ago the others just ignored her and didn't bither with her, I wonder whether this is what ducks and hens do when a hatching is not well and we as humans can't see that they are unwell but they can.
I have also kept pigs and pigs will sometimes pick on a poorly pig.
Am I right in thinming that birds - such as owls and blue tits will feed the strongest chicks first so that the strongest get stronger?!
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi Queenie,
I have emailed you with my email address - I look forward to seeing the photos of your ducklings and duck.
Best Wishes
Sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 3 years ago # -
hi everyone,
I have very good news my apricot call now has four lovely ducklings. She seems to be a good mum ,today,day 3, she brought them out for a swim and a wonder around the grass. She is very vocal if they wander to far. Its a joy even a privelidge to see.
QueeniePosted 3 years ago # -
Such good news. Bet you are pleased as punch. any news on the other eggs?
SarahSarah LPosted 3 years ago # -
i love all this news its teaching me so much looking forward to the photos x
mo xPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi Sarah,
We candled the remaining eggs and saddly we have lost them, but hey we feel so lucky to have the four little ones we have.
What could be nicer than sitting in the sun at 7am with a cuppa watching the little family.
QueeniePosted 3 years ago # -
Absolutly nothing Queenie, well done again, jealous ,Mama
Goose GirlPosted 3 years ago # -
sorry to hear about the lost eggs, but yes lovely for you to be able to enjoy the little family and like Mama im jealous to xx
Momo xPosted 3 years ago # -
Hi All,
Here are the photos of queenies beautiful apricot call duck and ducklings.
Thanks for sharing, hope the ducklings are growing well and that apricot mum is a good mum.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 2 years ago # -
Hello, What a lovely result and fab pics ,congratulations. Mama
Goose GirlPosted 2 years ago # -
what wonderful photos
but TUT TUT Sara you really should check your spelling, should say duck not ....
haha Mo xmo xPosted 2 years ago # -
Sara. I did not notice your spelling until pointed out by Mo. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha. Mama
Goose GirlPosted 2 years ago #
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