Still wet from his hatch, the little Khaki Campbell duckling was the only one to make a hatch from 50 eggs set. Some are still due since they were set later, but he is a survivor for sure.
I have a Bower incubator at least 30 if not 40 years old. It does maintain the temperature, but not the humidity and the eggs must be turned by hand three or more times daily. Eggs were placed in the incubator 33 days prior to the duckling's hatch date, then some a week later, and others even later. The duckling is 4 days overdue, and the only one to hatch. He is strong and survivor. Now that he is a day old, he does look like a pure Khaki Campell duckling.
I feel very sorry for him, hatched artificially with no mother and now living in a Rubbermaid brooder, that is a Rubbermaid tote with a heat lamp and foil over half of the top, but he is all alone in this world. He huddles in a corner and panics when he hears any noises and scampers when he sees any movement. Is it right to artificially hatch these poor babies? When there are many in a hatch, they huddle together for company, but this little baby had no one. Last year, the Fat Ewe Farm, was fortunate enough to have a mother duck hatch 7 little ones of her own, which is rare for the Khaki Campbells. The instinct to set a brood has been forsaken in favour of egg laying. Khaki Campbells are far better egg layers than most chickens!
On the 10th there are more duck and goose eggs due to hatch. They were collected when there was still frost on the ground though and it is dubious whether many will hatch or not, due to being extremely chilled. This is a lesson learned and the very first hatch on the farm. The lonely little duckling is the only one so far, poor little guy. But isn't he ever so cute?
I feel very sorry for him, hatched artificially with no mother and now living in a Rubbermaid brooder, that is a Rubbermaid tote with a heat lamp and foil over half of the top, but he is all alone in this world. He huddles in a corner and panics when he hears any noises and scampers when he sees any movement. Is it right to artificially hatch these poor babies? When there are many in a hatch, they huddle together for company, but this little baby had no one. Last year, the Fat Ewe Farm, was fortunate enough to have a mother duck hatch 7 little ones of her own, which is rare for the Khaki Campbells. The instinct to set a brood has been forsaken in favour of egg laying. Khaki Campbells are far better egg layers than most chickens!
On the 10th there are more duck and goose eggs due to hatch. They were collected when there was still frost on the ground though and it is dubious whether many will hatch or not, due to being extremely chilled. This is a lesson learned and the very first hatch on the farm. The lonely little duckling is the only one so far, poor little guy. But isn't he ever so cute?
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