batcatz Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 (edited) My broody has hatched 2 beautiful white campbell ducklings. They hatched yesterday and are already able to get out of the eglu nest. They are very lively and healthy. Broody hen is a great mother so far and looks very proud. She is still sitting on the 4 remaining eggs. I candled earlier this week and thought 3 were going to hatch, but am not so sure now as it is day 29 and no signs of pipping. I'll candle tonight if she lets me take the eggs and dispose of tomorrow or tonight if I am brave. 3 eggs look grey and I can see liquid moving in one of them. Edited July 14, 2012 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 Hi the one with liquid in is no good they will look dark with an air pocket at one end she will know if no more ducklings are going to hatch and then leave them to take care of her babies sometimes they just sit for an extra day to make sure leanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 Hi the one with liquid in is no good they will look dark with an air pocket at one end she will know if no more ducklings are going to hatch and then leave them to take care of her babies sometimes they just sit for an extra day to make sure leanne Thanks Leanne. I managed to candle 3 of the 4. The one with liquid was smelly so I opened it and it was a late dead in shell. I'll wait for Dotty to leave the other eggs unless I find another smelly one. They are dark and have much smaller air pockets than the smelly one. It was sweet earlier as Dotty left the nest to show the ducklings the chick crumbs and water, but managed to remove 2 eggs from the nest and put them under her. The ducklings must recognise my voice as they let me pick them up, take food off my fingers and eye me in a very cute way. Dotty lets me pick them up without pecking me and she squealed with pleasure when I cleared up her stinky broody poo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted July 14, 2012 Share Posted July 14, 2012 Photos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted July 14, 2012 Author Share Posted July 14, 2012 This is day 2. Today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Oh they are so adorable! Does Mummy hen not recognise at all that they are not chickens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Oh they are so sweet, you lucky thing. Have you got other ducks or did you buy the eggs in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted July 23, 2012 Author Share Posted July 23, 2012 Thank you. I bought the hatching eggs from ebay. They were all fertile, but only 2 hatched. They are growing reallty fast! Mummy Hen is doing a great job of looking after them and she doesn't seem to realise they are ducklings, but did a clucking warning noise when they first started splashing about in water. lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 How funny that Mummy hen is worried her babies like water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 Yes, it is funny! Now mummy hen seems to understand and drops things in their water like peas and spinach. She hates it when I slosh water over the run to rinse away the poop so I've put in a wooden bit of decking for her. lol. She took them out for a walk in the garden yesterday. It was stressful as they seem to eat anything and then the cat started stalking them so I put him in the cat run. I wasn't allowed to pick them up and they hid behind her. They only love me for my spinach!! I can pick them up and they relax so I really hope they love me when Mummy hen decides to leave them. They are really big now and I thought they were 3 weeks old today - they are only 2 weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 They sound just so sweet. I do hope they start to follow you around too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChickenWillow Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Awwwww.....they are so cute!! Won't be long till their twice that size though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Are they feathering up now? More pix please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Yes, the surviving drake is fully feathered. Here he is with his Mum: Only 7 weeks old tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Does he look like a white campbell? I am confused as his beak has not turned orange yet. He has blue eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Wow, don't know about the breed but he is very handsome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coppers Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 I think he is a campbell. Their beak and leg colour can range from orange to flesh coloured as far as I know. x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 What a stunning young man! Will you be getting him some girlies of his own? If so, lucky them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 He says Thanks. I have 4 white campbell and 3 dark campbell eggs in the incubator. 5 seem viable, but not sure yet. I hope some are girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
