About Duckling Discovery
I have always loved animals and have had many different pets over the years, but in my forties I developed a passion for ducks when I acquired two 2-week old Mallard ducklings. Over a period of a few months two ducks became a mixed flock of nine, with my runner ducks laying eggs which we enjoyed for breakfast and in delicious lemon drizzle cakes.
Ducks are definitely addictive and I decided to get an Indian runner drake to live with the girls so I could hatch some ducklings. With plenty of eggs and too many to hatch myself, I started selling fertile eggs to people who wanted to hatch their own ducklings.
I also decided to offer schools, nurseries and families the opportunity to hire the equipment needed to hatch and care for ducklings for a couple of weeks, without the cost and ongoing commitment of keeping adult ducks.
With this in mind Duckling Discovery was hatched! Aiming to enhance education by bringing biology to life and creating lasting memories.
Your hatching experience...
Equipment we provide
Our Duckling Discovery kit includes the following:
- Incubator
- 6 fertile duck eggs
- Duckling brooder to keep the ducklings warm
- Duckling food
- Feed container & drinker
- Enclosure & bedding
- Full instructions to hatch and care for the ducklings
Transporting the kit to you
We transport the Duckling Discovery kit to your school or home when the eggs have been incubated by us for 25 days. The incubator keeps the eggs warm during the journey using our in-car transport kit.
When will the eggs hatch?
The eggs, which will have been laid by our own small flock of ducks at home and incubated by us, should hatch within 2-3 days of arriving.
Looking after the ducklings
Once the ducklings have hatched and are dry and mobile, they will need to be transferred from the incubator to the enclosure where they can access the brooder to keep warm, as well as food and water. You can now enjoy caring for the ducklings!
At the end of the 2-week period we will come and collect the kit and the ducklings, unless the school or family would like to keep the ducklings longer, in which case the kit can be hired for an additional period until the ducklings are fully-feathered and no longer require heat.
Pricing & FAQs
Price to hire a Duckling Discovery Kit
- To hire our Duckling Discovery kit (including 6 fertile eggs) for 2 weeks is £265
- To hire the equipment for longer than 2 weeks is as follows:
- £65 for an extra week
- £55 for a second extra week
- £45 per week thereafter (for up to 2 extra weeks, a maximum total of 6 weeks)
Payment
We are a small business and ask that payment is made by bank transfer (BACS) 14 days before the hire period is due to commence. If payment hasn't been received 7 days prior to the commencement date we reserve the right to cancel the booking.
How do I hatch and look after the ducklings?
We provide full, easy-to-follow instructions when we deliver the kit. We also offer phone and email help and support when you are hatching and caring for the ducklings.
Giving the ducks a permanent home
We understand that many schools, nurseries and families are happy to experience the ducklings hatching and their first 10 days of life, just until they become bigger and need more space, which is why we offer to collect the ducklings when we return for the hatching kit two weeks later.
On the other hand, many people fall in love with the ducklings and are able to give them an appropriate, permanent home. In this case they are welcome to do so at no extra cost.
If the ducks are to be kept by the customer, we are always available to offer advice and support, including sourcing equipment and consumables if required.
What happens to the ducklings that are returned?
We care deeply about the welfare of the ducklings and will either rehome them to good homes or keep them ourselves. This is the benefit of a small, family business - we don't supply huge numbers of kits so we are able to ensure we find homes for the ducklings, or they become part of our own duck family!
Recommendations
If you enjoy hatching and caring for our ducklings, we welcome any recommendations to family, friends and colleagues. We are a small business and rely on word of mouth to help make people aware of what we offer, and of the benefits to children (and adults) of all ages.
To show our appreciation, any bookings that come by way of recommendation will receive a £20 discount off the initial Discovery Kit hire charge.
In addition, the person who made the recommendation will receive a £20 high street gift voucher.
Contact Us
Book your hatching experience now
Duckling Discovery - call Kirsty on 07879 618729
