Incubation progress of Muscovy eggs

Lacrystol said:

OMG, you definitely HAVE A MESS on your hands. Ok First I will prepare you, there's NO way you are going to be able to save them all. Either they will get shrink wrapped or STICKY. OUCH. Good LORD.

Sit down and give me all the due Dates. Lets figure out the Best way to handle this.

NO WAIT DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER INCUBATOR?????

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I was afraid I was going to hear something like this...I was afraid I blew it. I feel just terrible!

I do NOT have another incubator, but if need be, if it might help with the mess I created, I can go out and buy one...

Lacrystol said:

OMG, well first let me give you some advice, if you want to put that many in the incubator that's OK. Store the eggs as you collect them in an egg carton with the Big end up. You can only store them UP to 10 days otherwise they lose there fertility.

So what kind of ducks are these? What's the NORMAL hatching time frame?? I know for Calls its 26 days but not sure what you have going

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These are Muscovy ducks. My understanding is they hatch anywhere from day 33-37, but I am a total newbie - reading everything I can get my hands on and learning as I go...

AnimalQuackers said:

I was afraid I was going to hear something like this...I was afraid I blew it. I feel just terrible!

I do NOT have another incubator, but if need be, if it might help with the mess I created, I can go out and buy one...

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I'd say go get one of the cheap ones from Tractor and use it as your "hatcher". I think this is how some peafowl people do their staggered hatches.

-Kathy

casportpony said:

I'd say go get one of the cheap ones from Tractor and use it as your "hatcher". I think this is how some peafowl people do their staggered hatches.

-Kathy

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Kathy, Do you mean to put eggs 4-15 in one incubator and eggs A-I in another?

OK well the first thing is first, if you don't have another incubator on hand and you don't want to get one, you aren't going to be able to save them all.. Chances would be better if you had a second one in this situation.

Here's why:

Three days before there due date you want to lock them down, temp stays the same and humidity goes up to about 65.

The problem you have right now, is some should have been locked down and some aren't ready yet. So if you Lockdown those that are suppose to be locked down, your other ones will get to much water and become STICKY. When they are sticky it's hard for them to absorb that yolk and finish the process.

Now your temp should be at 101 to 103 with a STILL AIR Incubator, A still air means NO fans are in it.

If you have a Fan then your incubator temp should be around 99 to 100.


So what you have to do is figure out each ones due date and count back Three days all these eggs should be in Lockdown. Right now I would sit down and put the lockdown eggs on one side and the others on the other side, Tell me which side is more, That's the side we are going to work with. Praying the others will be OK in the process but I rather you get more babies then less.... That is if you do not want to get another incubator.

If you get another incubator you just made life a little easier because you can take your lockdown eggs on the one side and as soon as your settings are perfect on the new incubator. BOOOM put them in...

How many eggs total are we talking???

AnimalQuackers said:

Kathy, Do you mean to put eggs 4-15 in one incubator and eggs A-I in another?

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What she means is your LOCKDOWN eggs need to go into One bator and continuing your regular incubating in the other UNTIL it's there Lockdown Time..

AnimalQuackers said:

Kathy, Do you mean to put eggs 4-15 in one incubator and eggs A-I in another?

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Again, I am a novice, so remember that. I would put al of the "locked down" eggs in one and leave the others in the other incubator. Since you added an egg a day, you would do the same from one incubator to the other, right? What incubator do you have now?

Eggs A-I went in at the same time, correct? If so, they stay put. Egg #4 goes into the new bator now with the humidity set as high as possible. Egg 5,6,7,8 should follow accordingly. Again, I am a novice, so please get other advice before following mine.

-Kathy

Once you have figured out who's Suppose to be in Lockdown, CANDLE THEM see if they are still moving alive..

Don't beat yourself up, it is what it is and you'll learn from this, I know I have learned from my incubating experiences.

-Kathy

Lacrystol said:

Once you have figured out who's Suppose to be in Lockdown, CANDLE THEM see if they are still moving alive..

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Kathy and Lacrystol,

We will go get another incubator tomorrow. If I understand you both, you are saying to put the lockdown eggs (eggs three days from hatching) in one incubator with higher humidity, and leave all other eggs - with longer than three days to hatch - in the other with lower humidity.

We candled the eggs last night, and the eggs that should be in lockdown had definite movement! We will candle again shortly.

Here are my additional questions:

1 - If Muscovies hatch between day 33-37, WHAT DAY is lockdown?
2 - I have a STILL AIR INCUBATOR (and will likely buy another still air). What temperature and humidity do you suggest for lockdown eggs, and for others? ALL have been at 99.5 degrees and between 40%-60% (NOT wet bulb) to date.

Kathy - we will get the photos shortly. Would you prefer photos or video of the eggs?

Many, many thanks for all your help!!

Michelle