Need help with Duck eggs.

[stephanbakir]

So, long story short, my cat is the spawn of Satan and today she killed a mother duck that was sitting on her nest and killed 3 of the eggs before we got to her.

The eggs are still warm and if you look closely there are 4 of them. I have some reptile incubators but I'm not sure what temp to keep them at, anyone know?

(gona do some research while waiting)

[Stormy Night]

Hatching Duck Eggs (http://www.duckhealth.com/hatcduck.html)

[Stormy Night]

99.5 and they need more humidity than chicken eggs but not as much as snakes. It is possible to incubate them without an incubator to.

[stephanbakir]

Thanks, setting the incubator now. Gona candle them once the incubator is put together.

[stephanbakir]

Without an incubator?

[Stormy Night]

My bad. I saw something that said that when I was searching for something else once. I just read up on it and the guys a joke. Something about tossing a towel over them and a heat lamp and trying to match exactly 99.5. But you have to flip the eggs every 3 hours and mist them constantly...incubators are the way to go

[Stormy Night]

...unless you have a chicken..if you had a chicken you could stuff the eggs under her while she's nesting.

[stephanbakir]

I've got a few dogs and a homicidal cat:P
If my goals were different that would probably work, but as it is I have a few cousins who want to see chicks hatch:P

[Stormy Night]

You could probably hog tie the cat and shove the eggs under it...make it pay for its crime!

[stephanbakir]

Isn't that a pleasant thought:P

[Shmoges]

Time to kill a cat imo.

[Coffee Black]

Nah. Cat was just doing what comes natural to it.

[stephanbakir]

This cat brings home dead cats (only 4)... gotten in trouble quite a few times cuz of that beast

[RandyRhoads]

Keep use posted. Normally situations like this don't work out that well but best of luck. Make sure you turn them several times a day. Never tried ducks Im working on 26 quail incubating now.

[stephanbakir]

Temp is sitting at 98.7 atm, with 41% humidity, having trouble getting the humidity down but i might just toss in a fan.

[RandyRhoads]

Why would you want to lower it beyond 41%?? You want it higher and when they are a few days from hatch ( I know you probablly don't know when they are due to hatch) you want to raise it to around 80% to ease their exit.

[stephanbakir]

Website im using says to maintain 30% (misting 2-3 times a day) then up it to 85% when they start to pip

Quick question, with snake eggs you can cut the shell early and watch development if you are careful not to contaminate the contents, can the same be done with duck eggs?

[RandyRhoads]

Just trying to help, not be a d***. But maybe try googling duck hatching humidity again. I have yet to see one say 30% all are at least 50% some reccomending as high as 80% for initial incubation.


Hatching Duck Eggs (http://www.duckhealth.com/hatcduck.html)

How to Hatch Ducks in an Incubator | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/how_2061033_hatch-ducks-incubator.html)

Hatching Eggs at Duck Eggs.com - Hatching eggs & Egg Incubators. (http://www.duckeggs.com/hatching-eggs.html)

How To Hatch Duck and Geese Eggs | Egg Incubator (http://www.howtodothings.com/pets-and-animals/a3194-how-to-hatch-duck-and-geese-eggs.html)

BackYardChickens Forum / Incubating Duck eggs-tips please (http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=91682)

[stephanbakir]

Constructive criticism is constructive criticism, cant see a reason to complain about it.

Thanks gona up it to 50%, I'm not sure how old the eggs are but i saw the spot the nest was on 10 days ago and it was just gravel (i sat about 2 feet away taking a picture of a friend)

[sickvenom]

a lot goes into duck eggs. used to own ducks growing up. hobavator makes incubators with turners, but you're looking at $100. and, it might be too late to save them, by the time you order and get the bator. might be best to stick em in the fridge and have some nice breakfast tomorrow. seriously. duck eggs are good eats. don't mean to offend anyone. lots of people eat duck eggs.

[stephanbakir]

They would already be in my belly if my family didn't get wind of it and beg to see chicks:P gona hope the incubator works, sitting at 98 degrees with 47% humidity

[Stormy Night]

Sounds perfect

[TeaNinja]

Time to kill a cat imo.

jeeze! lol
can't punish a natural hunter for hunting.
LETS KILL ALL THE LIONS, THEY ARE EATING THE GAZELLE! lol :p

i'm all for preventing that kind of thing, but if it happens, you can't really punish it. it'd be like me punishing my dog for CONSTANTLY bringing me things for her to fetch ALL day, it's bred into her lol.

[stephanbakir]

You cant but you make the best of a bad situation, cat kills nesting duck, im trying to save the eggs since i cant eat them without family freaking:p

[TeaNinja]

indeed, i would probably do exactly the same.

[stephanbakir]

If it works out, am i going to need to teach them to fly etc? I can imagine me in a chicken suite running down the streets flappin' my arms.

[Lankyrob]

If it works out, am i going to need to teach them to fly etc? I can imagine me in a chicken suite running down the streets flappin' my arms.


If you do PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Post a video on here ;):yes::):yes::):yes:

[Freebody]

If you do PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Post a video on here ;):yes::):yes::):yes:
heheh thats what i was thinking when i read the post :P my old cat used to bring me home all sorts of "gifts" somtimes you could tell it was and old meal she had been saving for a few days and decided what was left was perefect for me, maggots and all lol i miss having a cat around :) i hope this all works out, im with your fammily on this one, cant wait to see some little duckies.

[stephanbakir]

If you do PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Post a video on here ;):yes::):yes::):yes:

I would never rob you guys of that experience:P

[stephanbakir]

heheh thats what i was thinking when i read the post :P my old cat used to bring me home all sorts of "gifts" somtimes you could tell it was and old meal she had been saving for a few days and decided what was left was perefect for me, maggots and all lol i miss having a cat around :) i hope this all works out, im with your fammily on this one, cant wait to see some little duckies.

I see baby ducks all the time and i got hit by lots of goose mommy's defending babies that i never got the opportunity to see:P The area i live in is covered in baby ducks and geese in the spring, about 2 weeks from not ill take pics.

[mistersprinkles]

This cat brings home dead cats (only 4)... gotten in trouble quite a few times cuz of that beast

Definitely a cat from Quebec. :yes: (i joke)

[stephanbakir]

LOL, you should meet her, ill take pics later.

[Shmoges]

This cat brings home dead cats (only 4)... gotten in trouble quite a few times cuz of that beast


WTH? I have never heard of that.

[stephanbakir]

mostly mice and moles, but gotten a few birds a bat 2 minks 1 marten 4 cats 1 crow and a few snakes/frogs :P

[Jay]

If it works out, am i going to need to teach them to fly etc? I can imagine me in a chicken suite running down the streets flappin' my arms.

Inspired by the movie Fly Away Home, a childhood classic.....To me at least.

[TeaNinja]

i saw fly away home a few times. was cool also cuz my dad flies ultralights.

[Reptile_Reptile]

This cat brings home dead cats (only 4)... gotten in trouble quite a few times cuz of that beast
<_< >_> uh keep your cat inside man thats messed up.

[serpentshideawa]

Our cat brings mice once in a while doesnt eat em just kills em and brings em inside if we arent paying much attention

[stephanbakir]

Ours bring most things home intact or alive but animals like mice and moles, we never see the heads

[Lankyrob]

Ours tends to bring live specimens home and leave them in the kitchen - was chasing a baby blackbird around the kitchen, 3am and stark naked about two weeks back!

[candyraver69]

You could probably hog tie the cat and shove the eggs under it...make it pay for its crime!
-LMAO!

With my experience with bird eggs, they need to be kept warm, and turned frequently. Generally bird egg incubators have an automatic turning function, but it can be done by hand. Looks like you have been given the proper parameters already.

I wish you the best of luck. Hatching is one thing, hand-feeding is going to be a whole new adventure! If they look like they will hatch and you need some help with that let me know, I am an expert on that. It's a grueling process because of how often they need fed, but it's also rewarding.

[stephanbakir]

-LMAO!

With my experience with bird eggs, they need to be kept warm, and turned frequently. Generally bird egg incubators have an automatic turning function, but it can be done by hand. Looks like you have been given the proper parameters already.

I wish you the best of luck. Hatching is one thing, hand-feeding is going to be a whole new adventure! If they look like they will hatch and you need some help with that let me know, I am an expert on that. It's a grueling process because of how often they need fed, but it's also rewarding.

I'll probably take you up on that offer.
I will be hand turning them every 3-4 hours.
Cant i place a food dish in their enclosure?
How do i know if the eggs die? They look fine now but i cant candle them because they are too dark (they are sweating which i assume is a good sign)

[stephanbakir]

3am and stark naked about two weeks back!
Did that once trying to catch a bat, all i was wearing was my boxers. Silly bat gave me a "love bite" on the web of my thumb/forefinger before i got my hands on the lil' guy lol.

[RandyRhoads]

I'll probably take you up on that offer.
I will be hand turning them every 3-4 hours.
Cant i place a food dish in their enclosure?
How do i know if the eggs die? They look fine now but i cant candle them because they are too dark (they are sweating which i assume is a good sign)


Unless there's something specific about ducks, they shouldn't need hand feeding. I have never had good succes candling,mainly because my pheasants/quail are darker than most. Seems near impossible unless the egg is pure white an fresh. A good way to see if they are fertile and growing is a scale. I weigh mine before incubating and periodically to note differences. A cheap scale can be picked up at most head shops for about $20-30

[stephanbakir]

Alright, I'm assuming they loose weight over time if they are fertile and growing?

[RandyRhoads]

Correct.

Proper Water Loss During Incubation
As the duckling develops inside the egg there is a loss of water from the egg and an increase in the size of the air cell. If the duckling is developing normally, the air cell should occupy about one-third of the space inside the egg at 25 days of incubation (common ducks). Weight loss can also be used as a guide. Common duck eggs should lose about 14% of their weight at time of setting by 25 days

[stephanbakir]

Wish i had an original weight for these guys.

Is there any way of knowing if the bird has died within the egg? By the time i found the mother duck it was cold and stiff so im assuming it was a few hours, but the eggs were warm when i got to them. (this is the only duck nesting in our area)

[RandyRhoads]

If the eggs were still warm( Idk what Canada warm is, not frozen?) when you got to them they should be fine. Besides candling and weighing i'm not aware of a way to see if it's alive. I'd weigh them now and note any changes in a week. Or just wait and see. You've done more than nature would have.

[stephanbakir]

If the eggs were still warm( Idk what Canada warm is, not frozen?) when you got to them they should be fine. Besides candling and weighing i'm not aware of a way to see if it's alive. I'd weigh them now and note any changes in a week. Or just wait and see. You've done more than nature would have.
It was a scalding 52 degrees today:P

The eggs were noticeably warm to the touch, I'll weigh them tomorrow.

[RandyRhoads]

So, you just happen to have one of these scales laying around ?:P

[stephanbakir]

A friend weighs all of his BP eggs, im assuming i can use the same one for duck eggs:P

[RandyRhoads]

Just checking :)

[candyraver69]

I stand corrected. Apparently duck mommies do not feed their young the way parrots do, so ignore me! lol. Goes to show that species can vary a bit from other similar ones.Apparently there is something made for baby ducks and geese that you can just give them in a bowl. That makes things a lot easier!

[stephanbakir]

It's going to be a learning experience lol, only worked with herps and dogs so far when it comes to breeding lol.