Chicken boarders

[fujcube]

Hi all,

 

Having put 6 Call Duck eggs under our broody Orpington Hen, we had calculated and expected the first to hatch on Tuesday 15th June. However, whne I did my usual morning check, I was totally surprised to find one chick all fluffed up and running around the hut and another that had obviously just recently hatched.

 

This morning, when I went to check on them, one of the two ducklings was dead. It was the one that was running around the pen and to us, looked very healthy. From the look of the dead duckling, I suspect that the hen has accidentally crushed it during the night.

 

My questions are:

 

Should all eggs have hatched at the same time as she is still sitting on the other 4?

Should we remove the duckling we have and any others that may hatch from the hen to prevent them from being killed like the first one?

 

Regards, fujcube

[miller30]

Hi my buff orpington hatched me out 6 chicks 8 days ago she is a really good mum but really clumsy she steps on them now and again your broody will not leave the nest until she knows all the eggs that are gonna hatch have i would probably leave her to it accidents happen and she may be fine with the rest they sometimes do hatch early she will know when they have finished hatching leanne.

[fujcube]

Hi,

 

Thanks for your reply. Our Orpington is certainly a good mum and is making sure that everyone knows it!!

Not long after making my post asking for advice, I went to do one of my many, many checks on our new arrival! and noticed that Buff, our Orpington, had lost interest in the 4 remaining eggs and was diverting all her attentions to her new chick (duckling).

 

I took the 4 remaining eggs and candled them using a small torch. it was fairly obvious that none of the 4 were going to hatch as 3 of them appeared to be full of a clear liquid and the other looked like the yolk was stuck to the side of the shell.

 

With 4 eggs gone and one duckling dead, we are more anxious than ever that the remaing duckling gets the very best chance of survival we can give her.

 

With this in mind, I made an urgent trip to town to buy everyhting required to build a makeshift brooder. Having decided that the duckling would be safer indoors away from Buff's huge feet!!!

 

With brooder built and operational, I put the duckling in and waited. Within seconds, it was desperately trying to escape by banging itself against the sides and trying to jump out!! Added to this, the noise it was making in distress was too much for me. It clearly missed it's mum so back outside it went.

 

Fingers crossed! It is now 2 days old and has completely taken over our lives.

 

We have named it Google! Hopefully I'll have some photos to upload later.

 

Regards, fujcube

[fujcube]

As promised, here are some photos.

 

Mett Buff, the broody Buff Orpington

 

Introduce 6 hatching Call Duck Eggs.

 

 

 

Wait for a bit

 

 

 

 

Voila ......

 

 

Sadly it was the duckling with the yellow face markings that died.

 

 

 

That leaves us with ............

 

Google!!!!

 

 

 

We have another 5 hens on order from the Wernlas collection which we will collect once we get back from our holidays. As soon as another hen becomes broody, you can be sure that we'll be getting some more eggs for hatching.

 

 

Regards. fujcube

[miller30]

Hi your photos are lovely what a shame you only have one duckling the one that died looked really cute how did you manage to hold the ducklings if i go anywhere near my chicks grandma my buff goes mental im now gonna do it all again as my other buff gertie is now broody so going to find her some eggs goodluck with your duckling leanne.

[Lewis]

Awwww

 

Ducklings are so much cuter than chicks

[miller30]

I agree with you on that one but they make so much mess and are stinky leanne