When our Muscovy hen laid her eggs this spring and began setting, I took nine of her eggs to put in the incubator.
First, is my duck capable of hatching eggs? She sat on three clutches last year, and only hatched two ducklings from 53 eggs.
And second, are our chicken eggs fertile? My rooster isn't a spring chicken anymore.
Before Mama Duck came back, I quickly checked the rest of the chicken eggs but didn't see any signs of pipping yet. I gathered up the tiny little fluffy baby and took it in the house. Chicken eggs hatch after 21 days, while Muscovy eggs take 35 days, so I'd already planned to adopt her chickbabies. I don't want her to be distracted by the chicks before her ducklings [hopefully] hatch.
I moved the duck pair to a new, smaller, off the ground coop this winter, so I'm hoping that the problem might have been solved.
And obviously our chicken eggs are fertile too.
Now we wait for ducklings. The eggs in the incubator will hopefully hatch any day now, and Mama Duck's babies are due in about a week.
~~~~~
My hope is to inspire you, and to encourage your homesteading plans and your dreams of a simple, self-reliant, God-dependent life. You can follow me at:
Facebook | Pinterest | Subscribe via email
How exciting! This time of year is so filled with life. Thank you for sharing this on The Maple Hill Hop!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Daisy. Spring is just full of babies!
DeleteI didn't know that having ducks was so much work! I do hope things work out well for you and your feathered charges.
ReplyDeleteThe adult ducks really don't need much care, and they are quite entertaining. They were a good addition to our homestead. Hatching her eggs, though, has been a mostly-unsuccessful adventure.
DeleteThey are really cute I didn't know that having ducks need so much work, thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning and tweeting.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, Swathi.
DeleteThose chicks are so cute, Kathi! I didn't realise that ducks could hatch chicken eggs - I do hope that her own eggs hatch well too. Thank you for being a part of our Hearth and Soul Hop.
ReplyDeleteThank you, April.
Delete