Rouen Duck thread

I figured since there's always a bunch of Rouen questions I'd make a thread specifically for them. Besides it seems like one of the few breeds that doesn't have its own thread. I figured this would be a great way for us to share our experiences and help each other out with any questions we might have regarding them. I'd post pics but with 19 ducks running around its hard to get just pics of them.

Just figured I would add some pics of my rouens. Don't mind the other breeds lol. an old baby picture.

So my babies are turning 11 weeks old on Sunday. They grow up so quick and are looking very raggy while molting into their adult feathers. It seems they should be almost done by now. Can't wait to post pics after their transformation lol. I'm hoping someone else will come along so I'm not just posting to myself lol.

Hiya there.

I have a pair (Now) of rouens myself. Just got another drake last weekend, since the 1 I got with my female didn't make the fall/winter. But now she has company and some fosterling type buffs. She had been laying an egg a day for nearly a month and I was actually looking on CL for some pure roos I want for my flocks but found an ad selling drakes. Anyway I got a male for her, a little young and apparently on the lower end of the old owners pecking order in the duck pen. I wasn't sure how old he was just told he was from 2012 hatch.
But sure enough he got the right idea today. Or tried really hard. My girl is a little larger than him and kinda chubby since she free ranges and eats with the rest of the birds. But I think he got the job done. I been watching for it but until yesterday I had not witnessed any breeding just a duck line, all in a row.
I plan on saving 7-10 days of eggs (Depends on my excitement) to start a batch in a bator. Prolly end up saving every egg this season, I'm a hatchaholic.
The buff fosterlings I got along with the drake and are about 10 weeks old the person said. So I won't look for anything from them too soon.

Back to therouen 2 or 3 days after I got the male I did set a trial egg from her. Just cuz I didn't see the breeding doesn't mean it didn't happen, so why not try. This is D3 I think.How long before you normally see developement in your hatching eggs (If you do hatch any) I only ever hatched Pekins myself. And don't remember when I saw development or if I even candled. Been a few years for me with ducks in the bator.

Will keep looking in for/to post any news.

I candle my duck eggs on day 10. You can usually see development on day 7 but sometimes they are iffy so I just do a day 10. That way there is no guessing if it was an early quitter or just slower to develop.

I love the pics! I have 2 and I think they are both females

They are a couple weeks older than that now but still young. How old was your hen before she started laying eggs?

minihorse927 said:

I candle my duck eggs on day 10. You can usually see development on day 7 but sometimes they are iffy so I just do a day 10. That way there is no guessing if it was an early quitter or just slower to develop.

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That was kinda my plan. I do the same with chickens because I have mostly brown layers and sometimes I am not sure so I do a 7 then 10 because I am annoying that way. Guess the 7 day is making sure some eggs are fertile then the 10 to pull any that are clear. Eyes getting bad doesn't help me either.
Still don't think I can post pics, but will try again later. The male looked kinda beat up when he came home but his feathers are coming back real nicely. Hopefully everything stays nice and calm and I can get a few hatched this year.

5 Acre I'm glad he's doing better in your care and like minihorse said candling at 10 days is best. I candle at day 7, day 10, and day 18 then like every other day because I can't help myself lol. On day 7 I just kinda check everyone out and see how they are doing. Day 10 I toss out any clears or blood rings and if I'm iffy on one I put a ? On it. Then on day 18 if its still not developing I chuck it. I just hate wasting any babies so that's why I wait so long.

brklync said:

I love the pics! I have 2 and I think they are both females

They are a couple weeks older than that now but still young. How old was your hen before she started laying eggs?

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They are adorable! Mine will be 11 weeks old on Sunday. I think they start laying at 6 months but I'm not sure as until 11 weeks ago I only had Pekins and they started at 4.5 months but idk if its the same for all breeds.

a Rouen duck thread!!! I'm glad you decided to start one!