Emmy

The owners of the shop/post office in the village keep ducks and one day when I was in the shop they were telling me their ducks had eggs but as they didn't want the eggs to hatch --they pierce the eggs with a pin and this stops them hatching but they hadn't done that yet. Then they remembered that a few years ago I had been given a duck egg from their dad and I had hatched out that duck egg in my incubator. Next question was "Do you want any eggs to put in your incubator before we pierce them?" My answer was "NO thank you-- I'll be in big trouble if I put duck eggs in the incubator" but after we had chatted for a while I agreed to take just ONE egg. Now I didn't get back to the shop for a few days and the next time I was there the owners were out, so now it was over two weeks since I had agreed to take an egg. Next time I was in the shop (May 4th ) I apologised and said maybe it was just as well I hadn’t managed to collect the egg then came the bombshell! He told me he still had the FOUR eggs in the shop for me but he also told me that he had read that after eggs had been away from the nest for 7 days there would be little chance of them developing. and those 4 eggs had been away from the nest for almost 3 weeks so feeling relieved that they wouldn't hatch I said "OK I'll pop them in the incubator and let you know" After a few days it was obvious nothing was happening with the eggs so early next morning I decided to put one of them into the bin in the kitchen, then later on in the afternoon I binned two more, I don't know why I still left one in the incubator but that night about 11pm I made up my mind that I would switch off the incubator and bin the fourth egg but for some reason unknown to me I decided to check it with the ovascope before I binned it and that's when I got a shock this egg was showing the first signs of being fertile!! Without a moment to lose it was quickly returned to the incubator. Now it was panic stations what if those other two eggs that had been binned in the afternoon had been fertile too? Very carefully I searched the bin found the two eggs I had binned in the afternoon (they hadn't broken) I washed them and then checked them and Yes they were showing signs of being fertile too. Very quickly those two eggs were back in the incubator too. I felt there was no sense looking for the egg I had binned early that morning because it had been without heat for over 16 hours so I went to bed -- but all night I couldn't settle thinking about that other egg still in the bin so I got up at 6am and eventually found the 4th egg at the bottom of the bin and it too was still intact but cold. So it got washed and when I tested it? Yes! Unbelievable it too was showing signs of being fertile so it went back into the incubator too. The surprising thing was all 4 eggs were developing normally so I numbered the eggs 1 to 4 (number 1 being the one that never left the incubator, 2& 3 were the two that had been binned in the afternoon and No 4 was the egg that had spent 16 hours in the bin! -- they have been named already No .1 - is Lucky No. 2 - is Binny No. 3 - is Bucket and no. 4.- is Miracle because it is a miracle it has survived and developed. First signs of development in the egg A few days later. Showing heart beat in one of the eggs 28th May 2018 Those ducklings will definitely have a story to tell if they hatch out and survive - They not only beat the deadline of 7 days but had a short holiday in the kitchen bin before getting down to the job in hand (lol)

There is a long story to go with these three latest arrivals but at the moment I'm a bit short on time to write it just now (I'll do a Blog ' later). (I'm also hand rearing 6 baby zebra finches)- Please meet 'Lucky', 'Miracle' and Binny -- sadly little 'Bucket' (it was marked egg no 3 when put into the incubator)died in the shell just before hatching. By the law of averages these 3 wee beauties (Cal ducklings)should never have hatched but I'll explain it all later

Fantastic Andy Just what I needed right now|! I'm so sore laughing just very grateful to find out I'm not the only one needing to get locked up. No doubt when Bobby spies this he'll be desperate to get to the computer again ( I don't know if Bobby is a girl or a boy but I guess it wont matter (lol)) but I hope Bertie's not going to teach Bobby any new bad habits Bobby has enough already. Guess this could be the start of a 'Best Seller' --'book' containing advice for other parrots and about Bobby and Bertie's adventures Knowing the pair of parrots that they are wouldn't be surprised if they'll be charging members a fee to read their posts Emmy

Hallo again everyone. It's been a while since I managed to get to the computer without my 'Mum' seeing me. (I do have a 'Blog' on here but this is just a quick note) This morning I got a good opportunity to get what I spied I would like after my 'Mum' had let me out of my cage and she had gone to get something. Fortunately for me she left the plate with the toast sitting near my cage and she had cut off the crust (think it was meant for Rabelou (the Chihuahua) but he gets plenty anyway so this was going to be mine- ) Good ! she's not back yet. Now I'm getting a lecture about stealing, so I'm off!! 'Mum' can't reach up here -so! I'm going to have a nice breakfast too even although I've stolen it I'll be back again sometime -that's if 'Mum' hasn't 'imprisoned me or sent me to a new home!

Thanks Andy -- I'm still as daft as ever and soon it wont be Bobby that will be getting 'locked up' it will more than likely be ME!! (lol) Emmy

Hallo again everyone. It's been a while since I managed to get to the computer without my 'Mum' seeing me. (I do have a 'Blog' on here but this is just a quick note) This morning I got a good opportunity to get what I spied I would like after my 'Mum' had let me out of my cage and she had gone to get something. Fortunately for me she left the plate with the toast sitting near my cage and she had cut off the crust (think it was meant for Rabelou (the Chihuahua) but he gets plenty anyway so this was going to be mine- ) Good ! she's not back yet. Now I'm getting a lecture about stealing, so I'm off!! 'Mum' can't reach up here -so! I'm going to have a nice breakfast too even although I've stolen it I'll be back again sometime -that's if 'Mum' hasn't 'imprisoned me or sent me to a new home!

Best wishes for your birthday Peter. Emmy

Sorry I forgot to update earlier. Its in the Brinsea eco glow now with another wee one that hatched out a few days later. Tried to add a short video of the two of them showing how the 2nd one when I added it into the eco glow how it tried to get underneath the slightly older one and followed it all the time. Guess it looked on it as its parent. Fascinating watching them. This is the model 'mum' I made for it Emmy

I reckon that photo would have 'topped the lot' Fantastic photo Emmy

Hi Gary It hatched out on the 22nd March but I find its more difficult getting them to peck the chick crumbs /water if they are on their own, better if there's a clutch or if it was with the parent birds. They run under the parent birds so that's why I put in 2 teddies. Now I'm considering 'making' an adult CPQ from material and feathers (lol) (I'll be getting 'locked up' soon with having all these daft ideas) I've had to take it out from the brooder/hospital cage now and its now under the Brinsea eco glow and I cant put the teddies below that so when it comes out to feed the teddy bears are still there for it. Emmy

Best Wishes to you on your birthday. Emmy

This is the latest addition to the 'family ' Hatched out in the incubator on the 22nd March and it is on its own but it hasn't been long in adopting a New Mum 'Charlick' and its adopted 'Mum' (It's a Chinese Painted Quail) Emmy

Sorry this is late Andy but hope you have a very Happy time on your '2nd birthday ' and that you'll be feeling much better then. Emmy

Welcome to the forum Kev. I'm not much good at working out colours but sometimes this happens and you get different colour of chicks in a nest I think it has something to do with the 'genes' the parent birds may be carrying. Maybe the colour isn't visible in the parent bird but they could be 'split' for another colour (some gene/colour that has been carried down from a previous generation.) Fingers crossed some other member will jump in here and answer your question in case I've got this all wrong. (Bet you will be more confused that ever after reading my answer but that's what I blame it on when I don't get the colours I wanted/expected to hatch out Emmy

Really beautiful chicks Trevor you have the patience of a Saint Trevor but you WILL there. Emmy