All advice for raising ducklings please

[junior67]

Exactly! My own first duck hatch was a disaster. Now, once they go into lockdown, I make a pinprick hole in the air cell part of the shell and let them do the rest. I check often to see which has internally pipped. And then periodically when they've externally pipped.

Once they start to zip, they're usually out within an hour. I won't interfere until after that.

Do I do the pinprick right at lockdown? I have read to only do it if internally pipped or if you see a bruise on the egg then do it in the middle of that

 

[Canadian Wind]

Do I do the pinprick right at lockdown? I have read to only do it if internally pipped or if you see a bruise on the egg then do it in the middle of that

This is just the way I do it. Some wait until there's an internal pip or bruise (pipped at the wrong place). I prefer to be proactive. I'm not going to poopoo on anyone that doesn't. So far, it's worked, but that may just be luck.

 

[junior67]

Ok 2 eggs have drawn way down and may have a bit of shadowing, adding pictures.... They are on day 22. Is this normal or do I have more chicks just late blooming???

There are a couple pics of each egg to show the shadows. Then one that shows space still left in the egg.

 

[Canadian Wind]

They'll draw down much more than this before hatching. Keep an eye on them though.

 

[junior67]

They'll draw down much more than this before hatching. Keep an eye on them though.

Do they draw down more than chickens? The candling pic doesn't really show how much they are drawn down. So that isn't shadowing? I know with my chicks they seem to shadow about 12-24 hrs before internal pip

 

[Canadian Wind]

Do they draw down more than chickens? The candling pic doesn't really show how much they are drawn down. So that isn't shadowing? I know with my chicks they seem to shadow about 12-24 hrs before internal pip

If I'd though of it, I would have taken pics of the ones that are hatching right now to show you. But they're all in the process of actually hatching (two were out this morning!). But yeah they seem to go way lower than chickens eggs.

The shadowing is a bit intriguing though. Remember they take longer (MUCH longer) than chicks to actually hatch.

 

[junior67]

If I'd though of it, I would have taken pics of the ones that are hatching right now to show you. But they're all in the process of actually hatching (two were out this morning!). But yeah they seem to go way lower than chickens eggs.

The shadowing is a bit intriguing though. Remember they take longer (MUCH longer) than chicks to actually hatch.

Oh I remember. Lol. I was just going to remove the turner a couple days early if I had to. Lockdown is Wed.

Her is a pic of the air cell.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Oh I remember. Lol. I was just going to remove the turner a couple days early if I had to. Lockdown is Wed.

Her is a pic of the air cell.

At this point, it doesn't really matter from what I've read. I've had eggs that I kept turning hatch early, and some that lockdowned early and hatched fine too.

As for the air cells, mine at least dip much lower than that prior to hatch if that's any comfort.

 

[junior67]

These are the 3 surprise chicks that hatched from the "duck" eggs. Lol

 

[PrettyCoolChicks]

That explains the early shadowing then! congrats