Added eggs while incubating - update: all 6 ducklings hatched and younger egg in incubator

Kroelies · Apr 21, 2015

Hello! I'm incubating eggs for the first time!

I got a small incubator (Brinsea Mini Eco) and I put in 6 duck eggs on Sunday afternoon (April 5th)

But a few days later friendly family duck Donsje wasn't herself and she laid in the garden like she was really tired. She seemed upset, I think she had a nest that got destroyed

The next morning she had laid an egg in the grass. I didn't know what to do so I put it in the incubator with the other eggs. That was Wednesday 8th of April.

Also she laid 2 more eggs after that and I put these in the incubator too on Thursday April 16th. Donsje is a very sweet duck, so I hope to get ducklings from her. But now the eggs should start to hatch on 3 different days, how do I manage that with the humidity? Wouldn't it kill them if the humidity is way to high for 3 or even 5 days?

And now for the stupid part: I'm going on vacation on May 13th, the date the last 2 eggs should be hatching... Oh what should I do??

Here's a picture of Donsje, she's an adorable duck! She's been acting like her usual self lately, so she should be fine! I think she's started a new nest

DuckPan · Apr 21, 2015

I did the same thing a few years ago, lol. Um lets see, i have a solution, sit back and let the incubator do its work. If you have any problems Please feel free to PM me.

JadeComputerGal · Apr 21, 2015

Kroelies said:
Hello! I'm incubating eggs for the first time!

I got a small incubator (Brinsea Mini Eco) and I put in 6 duck eggs on Sunday afternoon (April 5th)

But a few days later friendly family duck Donsje wasn't herself and she laid in the garden like she was really tired. She seemed upset, I think she had a nest that got destroyed

The next morning she had laid an egg in the grass. I didn't know what to do so I put it in the incubator with the other eggs. That was Wednesday 8th of April.

Also she laid 2 more eggs after that and I put these in the incubator too on Thursday April 16th. Donsje is a very sweet duck, so I hope to get ducklings from her. But now the eggs should start to hatch on 3 different days, how do I manage that with the humidity? Wouldn't it kill them if the humidity is way to high for 3 or even 5 days?

And now for the stupid part: I'm going on vacation on May 13th, the date the last 2 eggs should be hatching... Oh what should I do??

Here's a picture of Donsje, she's an adorable duck! She's been acting like her usual self lately, so she should be fine! I think she's started a new nest

What I'm doing might work for you if you're able to get another incubator. I write the date on the eggs as they're collected and put them in one incubator, then I move them to another incubator that's slightly cooler and much more humid when the date for their lockdown rolls around. That's really the only thing that's practical for me since I get eggs almost every day and would need 30 incubators to put a single date in each one.

If you can't buy or borrow another incubator, could you possibly give them back to your duck now that she's herself again? A nest pad or some straw in a safe place might entice her to set on them. The one that was set on the 8th might do okay being in the higher humidity three days early, but that probably won't work so well for the two that were set on the 16th.

Kroelies · Apr 22, 2015

Bad news, I candled the eggs and I think Donsje's first egg has died

The 6 oldest eggs all look the same, really dark with the air sack on the bottom and sometimes a vein. Donsje's first egg was put in only 2.5 days later but it's mostly clear and there's no veins, only a red blur. One of the eggs from the 16th looks the same

The other one does have very clear veins and a little embryo with an eye =)

I've searched around for a second hand incubator but those are still pricey and not many small high-quality incubators are for sale. Donsje isn't a pet duck, she's wild and likes to hang around our garden. I don't know where she builts her nests.

So I'll just wait for now to see if the last egg stays alive.

Also lockdown is the last 3 days right? When the humidity goes up and you stop turning?

JadeComputerGal · Apr 22, 2015

Kroelies said:
Bad news, I candled the eggs and I think Donsje's first egg has died

The 6 oldest eggs all look the same, really dark with the air sack on the bottom and sometimes a vein. Donsje's first egg was put in only 2.5 days later but it's mostly clear and there's no veins, only a red blur. One of the eggs from the 16th looks the same

The other one does have very clear veins and a little embryo with an eye =)

I've searched around for a second hand incubator but those are still pricey and not many small high-quality incubators are for sale. Donsje isn't a pet duck, she's wild and likes to hang around our garden. I don't know where she builts her nests.

So I'll just wait for now to see if the last egg stays alive.

Also lockdown is the last 3 days right? When the humidity goes up and you stop turning?

Some people lock down at 4 days prior to the expected hatch date, but I use 3 days. I move my eggs from the first incubator into the lockdown incubator on day 23. That would be day 25 for you. The lockdown incubator is already set to a lower temp and higher humidity and isn't on a turner.

I'm hoping you get other responses. I'm not sure how well that last egg is going to take high humidity for 3-4 days in the middle of its development, assuming it's still a viable embryo at that point. You might be able to make up for it by lowering the humidity again as soon as the others hatch, but there's no guarantee that will work.

Kroelies · Apr 23, 2015

My uncle borrowed an incubator to hatch chickens. But it's an old incubator and I believe those are prone to temperature change when air pressure changes? I could check out his incubator, maybe there's place in it for an extra egg. Would my egg survive transport? It's not even 10 minutes by car.

I searched around about this, but whenever it comes up people say "don't do it!", but now I don't know what to do

Kroelies · Apr 27, 2015

Yesterday I took to eggs out of the incubator to let them air.. but then I forgot them and they were put back almost 2 hours later.. the eggs felt cold

BUT today I saw some of the eggs moving! (rocking?) Is rocking on day 21 normal for ducks?

JadeComputerGal · Apr 27, 2015

Kroelies said:
Yesterday I took to eggs out of the incubator to let them air.. but then I forgot them and they were put back almost 2 hours later.. the eggs felt cold

BUT today I saw some of the eggs moving! (rocking?) Is rocking on day 21 normal for ducks?

Mine don't rock at that stage, and I only do Bantams, which are almost at lockdown stage then. I didn't see that you said what kind of ducks the parents were. Most ducks would still be at least a week away from hatching at 21 days.

What did you do about the single egg? I haven't been on for a few days and just saw your other post.

Good luck!!!

Kroelies · Apr 28, 2015

They should be mallards/wild ducks, like Donsje.

There isn't a lot of movement but I saw 4 of them wiggle! They just can't wait to get out!

Donsje's egg is still with the others, lockdown starts at Thursday evening/Friday morning... so suggestions are mostly welcome.

My uncle's incubator has a thermometer that says the duck eggs should be about 2 degrees Fahrenheit colder than chicken eggs. Could I put the egg there during lockdown? Or should I try to make a temporary incubator? Or keep it in the incubator and let it air every 12 hours?

Kroelies · Apr 28, 2015

I just candled the eggs and I saw something swim in Donsje's, and in some of the other eggs I saw a part of a duckling appear in the air cell! It was small and on the edge of the air cell, but this is so exciting!

And all 6 eggs have been wiggling

Added eggs while incubating - update: all 6 ducklings hatched and younger egg in incubator

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