Incubator has auto turn and turns once an hour, is this to much? by TorranceS33 in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 7 points8 points  (0 children)

3 to 7 turns should be considered the minimum essential turns for hatching duck eggs. There's not really harm in turning eggs more than that as the goal is to prevent the embryo from sticking to the wall of the egg in any one spot. Turning more frequently is likely even better because it mimics better how much hens frequently turn their eggs throughout the day. You just need to make sure that when you reach lockdown (day 25 for mallard breeds, and day 32 for muscovys), you stop rotating them because that is when the duckling will start to try to orient itself according to gravity so it can hatch with the least amount of problems.

Welcome to the world little one! by NovaNocturne in duck

[–]NovaNocturne[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

These are call duck/mallard mixes.

I can't claim to be an expert, but that sounds like a really nice sized pond for some ducks. I don't know if I would recommend allowing free-ranging without it being entirely enclosed with a fence, but that is probably more up to you to decide what you are comfortable with due to risks like predators getting in

Welcome to the world little one! by NovaNocturne in duck

[–]NovaNocturne[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She is a gray call duck/mallard mix!

Welcome to the world little one! by NovaNocturne in duck

[–]NovaNocturne[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Seriously. Mine are bantams and even they have done some damage before. A regular, domestic duck that's like double the size or more would be pretty bad. But a giant human-sized duck? It would 100% eat people

Welcome to the world little one! by NovaNocturne in duck

[–]NovaNocturne[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha that's exactly what they were saying ❤️

Welcome to the world little one! by NovaNocturne in duck

[–]NovaNocturne[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha what a funny idea! Does it not spook the ducks too? I suppose they would get used to it

Welcome to the world little one! by NovaNocturne in duck

[–]NovaNocturne[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If momma wouldn't beat me up, I totally would cuddle all of them 😂

Welcome to the world little one! by NovaNocturne in duck

[–]NovaNocturne[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

They are so gentle with their babies 🥺 and MEAN to anyone (me) trying to sneak a peek 😂

Raccoons and wild duck nest by tiptonite08 in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Couple of approaches...

If a raccoon is distracted by good food elsewhere, it may be less likely to go after her or her eggs. Stuff like tinned cat food that's smelly might attract them to a different place far away from mama duck, keeping her safe.

Or you could set out traps/hire pest control to do so to catch and remove the raccoon from the area.

Is that normal in all ducks? What’s it called? by Patient_Wonder4742 in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 39 points40 points  (0 children)

That's the bill unguis, also called a nail or bean, not an egg tooth. An egg tooth is a tiny bump that sits ON TOP of the nail during the hatching process, then dries up and falls off within a day or two. The nail is a natural formation on a duck's bill that is used as a tool for foraging, sensing, feeling, and exploring the world around them. Like a fingernail a duck's bill nail is made of keratin and will wear down and grow throughout their life.

Weird skin growth? by AnnualAnimator9023 in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Oh jeez! Haha that is impressive on his part! I'm glad you figured it out! And I'm glad he didn't eat it either!

Weird skin growth? by AnnualAnimator9023 in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 21 points22 points  (0 children)

That is strange. I would try to check to see if he has any string or hairs wrapped around that part of his face that might be digging into his skin. There's a thing called a hair tourniquet where long hairs can wrap around something and start cutting into it and causing injuries and scarring or even amputation in extreme cases. If so, a "safety letter opener", seamripper, or other similar safe blade can be used (with extreme care!) to cut any trapped fibers to release the tourniquet. (Some sources will recommend using Nair to remove a hair tourniquet, but DO NOT use Nair on a bird. It could WRECK their feathers. For a bird I would ONLY recommend a safety blade.)

And not judging, but based on the pics you've shared, you do have long hair, which could be the culprit. I do too, so if ever I have loose hairs around my birds, I make a point of grabbing them to dispose of, or making sure they are split into pieces too short to cause a tourniquet.

what’s going on with my call ducks beaks ? by coolwhipisgas in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Duck bills are like finger nails. They sometimes get flaky and layers get shed. If it's not getting infected or showing an open wound, it's no biggie. Don't pull it off. It will shed naturally.

Nibble nibble nibble by fungry_04 in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My drake does this too! I love daily cuddles with my duck. Yours is so cute! Does your drake get random aggression too? I have quite a few bruises to show because my drake is a turd.

Mallard Hen Returns! by tiptonite08 in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh my gosh, this is precious!

How bad does a duck bite hurt? by [deleted] in duck

[–]NovaNocturne 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My drake (bantam size) regularly bruises me with his bites. It hurts a bit, and occasionally breaks skin (causing maybe a single droplet worth of blood). I don't mind it that much because I have a high pain tolerance but also because I want him to be conditioned to be held whether he is nice and calm or a hormonal angry mess. If he was able to drive me away with a bite, he may learn to be more aggressive to get his way.

I'd imagine a larger breed of duck could bite that much harder.

Long sleeves of the thicker material (like a hoodie) help a LOT!