From Baytree Owl and Wildlife Centre

I always find it remarkable how the smallest babies survive in a big clutch. Look at the huge difference in size between the smallest and largest baby barn owls.

Unlike other birds that lay all their eggs and then start incubating them all at once, Barn owls start incubating them as they are laid. They can keep laying eggs from 1 to 3 weeks, resulting in hatchlings with significantly different ages. This is called asynchronous hatching.

For some theories about potential advantages of asynchronous hatching vs synchronous, check out this article.

  • verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works
    4·
    1 day ago

    That article taught me so much about hatching. The egg clicking is much more than what I have been taught, revolutionary for someone who raises Muscovies. Thank you!

    • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
      3·
      1 day ago

      You made me realize I had never finished reading the article myself! I read the asynchronous section that was relevant at the time, but I didn’t get to finish.

      The clicking was very neat, especially that it wasn’t the egg tooth.

      Also that eggs that are laid early vs later have different compositions, inside and out, to help the later ones “catch up” on development. I would have guessed the opposite, that the early birds needed more nutrition to stay healthy in the egg for a longer period.

      • verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        1 day ago

        I made that assumption, as well, that the early eggs would be given the edge in viability, full stop. Muscovies seem to be brooding anarchists, they make their own rules as they go.

        • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
          2·
          1 day ago

          Animals don’t seem to know they’re supposed to follow our rules! (/s)

          I forgot to ask, what do you raise the ducks for and how many do you have?

            • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
              1·
              10 hours ago

              I don’t think I’ve ever had a duck egg.

              Last night I was at someone’s house that has chickens and I saw they also had some ducks now. I’ll have to try to acquire one… 🤔

    • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
      2·
      1 day ago

      I’m glad you enjoyed it! Media has always made hatching look so quick and simple, but it’s such an epic task for those little hatchlings!

    • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
      2·
      1 day ago

      They’re blondes, it should be the girls.

      I was going to say no Cousin Oliver, but I looked him up to see if he did anything else, and it says he was Michaelangelo in the 90s TMNT movies, so now I give him a pass.