Duck Egg Candling Photo Diary

[FoodFreedomNow]

We have a pip! Two days before the due date

 

[harmony farm]

Hey

That's great news, seems things going well for you, good luck on more pips and hatchlings

 

[nicolesloan17]

This was extremely helpful. I had purchased five muscovy eggs and turns out only two of the were fertilized. This is my first time incubating and I'm turning them by hand! So your post reassured me that my duckies are happy and right where they need to be!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

This was extremely helpful. I had purchased five muscovy eggs and turns out only two of the were fertilized. This is my first time incubating and I'm turning them by hand! So your post reassured me that my duckies are happy and right where they need to be!

Ouch...that's a really low fertility rate on those eggs. At the risk of sounding like a braggart (ok, maybe I am, a little), I set 38 of my ducks' eggs and they were all fertile...one developed a blood ring by day 10, one quit a couple of weeks prior to hatch, and one made it to lockdown but failed to hatch (eggtopsy indicated a late quitter that never pipped internally). I had just one late hatcher that needed zipping assistance - s/he was a bit behind everyone else but now you can't even tell which one was the laggard. I now have 35 energetic little ducklings eating their fermented duckling feed and running around/pooping enthusiastically in their brooder!

This was my best hatch to date, and I really think the dry hatching until lockdown, misting/cooling, and hand turning combination (along with fertile and healthy eggs, of course) made an appreciable difference. At hatch, the shells seemed more brittle this time, even though they were very strong and smooth when originally set - makes me think the aforementioned actions prepared the shells well for the ducklings to be able to emerge more easily. I also set a number of fairly dirty eggs (recent rain/mud) and had no contamination issues, despite the daily misting with water.

Best wishes to you for a successful hatch!

 

[nicolesloan17]

Yes it was slightly disappointing to see that only two are fertilized. What % of humility did you have them at during lockdown? I've been reading that a lot of people suggest having less humidity before lock down.. about 55-60%? (mine also sits around there currently)...and then upping to 70-80% during lock down? My friends have not hatched ducks before so its all trial and error for me and ANY advice is appreciated.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Yes it was slightly disappointing to see that only two are fertilized. What % of humility did you have them at during lockdown? I've been reading that a lot of people suggest having less humidity before lock down.. about 55-60%? (mine also sits around there currently)...and then upping to 70-80% during lock down? My friends have not hatched ducks before so its all trial and error for me and ANY advice is appreciated. 

If you dry hatch, humidity is around 30-40% and I increase humidity to 70%+ at lockdown. I also dry hatch my chicken eggs (hatching as I type this!), and the incubator humidity ran in the low 30s here without adding water.

 

[nicolesloan17]

Oh okay thats perfect! This is one of the eggs at 12 days (two days ago)

I could see it moving around lots. I'm hoping that its all normal.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Oh okay thats perfect! This is one of the eggs at 12 days (two days ago) I could see it moving around lots. I'm hoping that its all normal. :/

Looks fine to me - the dark spots are likely an eye and its developing body.

Muscovy embryos are very reactive to candling, so you'll see them wiggle around (a good thing). Don't forget to talk to them so they know your voice. I also play soft music - mostly classical and jazz - for them in the incubation room.

 

[nicolesloan17]

Oh yay that so good to hear!! I want them to love me so badly haha! I love ducks so much so I'm so beyond excited to have my own babies!! Ill be talking into my incubator now and my husband will be wondering what the heck I'm doing

Thank you for your help!

 

[Muscovygirl426]

Can anybody give me guesstimate on the age of my duckling eggs. I will be leaving for vacation and don't want to miss them hatch