At five o'clock today...im getting two pekin eggs.?

Question

from my friends farm...

and i need some advice on raiseing these birds.

thankyou.

evee

Answer 1

Well, first of you really should get more than that. Alot of time, especially if this is your first hatch, many will not make it out of the shell. I tell you all I know and help as much as possible:

1. Incubation:

The egg needs to be kept at a constant 99 degrees. Do not trust the thermometer that came with the incubator, get a good one. The humidity also needs to be constant and high. The eggs must be turned 3 times a day. They will incubate for 28 days. On the 25th day, stop turning the eggs. Only candle on the 7th day of incubation and maybe the 14, but do not open the incubator alot. I know its hard to contain your curiosity but don't do it.

2. When they hatch, do not help the out of the shell unless it has been over 30 hours since they pipped. They must absorb the yolk sac into their stomachs and if you help them prematurly it will kill them. When they hatch, you are supposed to leave them in the incubator until they are dry, but you may have to take them out before that. I had a little giant incubator and the ducks were so tall that when they began to move around, they burned their heads on the heating element. When the are ready, get them out and put them in a brooder.

3. Brooder:

It should be a big box with towls lining the bottom. Do not use newspaper. It is too slick and can cause something called spay leg or spraddle leg and if not corrected properly, it can cripple them for life. The heat lamp should be on one end, giving them enough room to get out of the heat if they get hot.

4. Feed:

DO NOT FEED THEM BREAD OR MEDICATED CHICK STARTER! Both will kill them. At about 1 month old they feather out and then they can have bread and grains only as a treat. They need to be fed a duckling starter. If you can't get it, buy waterfowl or meatbird food and mix in old fashioned whole oat flakes and brewers yeast from the super market so they get all their nutrients.

5. NO SWIMMING!

When a duckling is hatch by mama, her oils get on the baby to water proof it, but they still shouldn' swim for long periods. Hatching a baby in an incubator, he has no oils. They should not be allowed in water (Shallow) until at least 3 weeks of age and you should watch them the whole time.

6. You cannot just put them outside and expect them to survive. You have to build a pen out of hardware cloth wire and wood posts. You also need to have avain netting or chicken wire covering the top to keep away hawks. However, they cannot leave the house until they are fully feathered.

7. You cannot raise a duck and then "release it to be in its natural habitat. This is a crime and it will also kill the bird because they will loose all their natural instincts and not recognise predators when they come near.

Any more questions? Just email me. I have raised ducks for 6 years now and have had well over 50.