First Hatch of the Year and My First Hatch...EEK!

[Pendergast]

I always feel a little funny posting a new thread when there are so many already out there, but this is my first hatch! I can't help myself.

I'm multi-staging in one incubator, which I worry is the wrong way to go with ducks, and my first five were due 1/22. One is out, two are dead (pipped but I didn't intervene fast enough and now no noise or movement) and two are working on it (and I'm getting ready to intervene). I think the humidity level is an issue so I'm starting to spray the eggs on their way to hatching. Wednesday is the next due date.

I'll be posting pictures (because baby ducks), but for now I'm wondering if anyone out there successfully multi-stage incubates. I really think I need to invest in an incubator for hatching, that opening to turn the eggs, at least this time of year, is fatal in terms of releasing humidity.

Also, safe to assume humidity was the problem for my two losses? Both had bills through the eggs, were peeping when I went to bed last night, nothing this morning. I'm going to peel away their shells. It's just hard to get past the emotional aspect of it

 

[Miss Lydia]

I always feel a little funny posting a new thread when there are so many already out there, but this is my first hatch! I can't help myself.

I'm multi-staging in one incubator, which I worry is the wrong way to go with ducks, and my first five were due 1/22. One is out, two are dead (pipped but I didn't intervene fast enough and now no noise or movement) and two are working on it (and I'm getting ready to intervene). I think the humidity level is an issue so I'm starting to spray the eggs on their way to hatching. Wednesday is the next due date.

I'll be posting pictures (because baby ducks), but for now I'm wondering if anyone out there successfully multi-stage incubates. I really think I need to invest in an incubator for hatching, that opening to turn the eggs, at least this time of year, is fatal in terms of releasing humidity.

Also, safe to assume humidity was the problem for my two losses? Both had bills through the eggs, were peeping when I went to bed last night, nothing this morning. I'm going to peel away their shells. It's just hard to get past the emotional aspect of it

@RavynFallen Or

@WVduckchick

 

[Pendergast]

Thank you, @Miss Lydia

 

[Ravynscroft]

Sorry for your losses, hard to tell what may have happened without looking... could have been many things, or they might not have just been strong enough... check for excessive goo or liquid in the lost ones, too high of humidity could have done it too...

What has the humidity been through incubation? Temps?

I hand turn all my Calls, done many staggered hatches, and hand turning alone doesn't negatively affect the different sets in my experience...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry for your losses, hard to tell what may have happened without looking... could have been many things, or they might not have just been strong enough... check for excessive goo or liquid in the lost ones, too high of humidity could have done it too...

What has the humidity been through incubation? Temps?

I hand turn all my Calls, done many staggered hatches, and hand turning alone doesn't negatively affect the different sets in my experience...

@Pendergast

 

[Pendergast]

I've maintained 37.5, humidity between 67-70%. Initially I tried to get the humidity higher (based on what Metzer says), but either I'm not getting an accurate humidity reading or the season isn't allowing for humidity higher than 70%.

I wasn't going to try to incubate in winter, but it's been warm and the girls started laying like mad ladies.

There's a mix of Pekin, Swedish and crosses. One of my Cayuga's eggs was a loss, and it's hard for me to tell which of the other eggs are Pekin vs. Swedish. This first baby may not be purely Pekin; it's still early to tell. She/he is quite yellow.

The lost Cayuga cross had a dark goo stain down the egg, under where the bill is out. I'll post pictures later and eggtopsy results.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I've maintained 37.5, humidity between 67-70%. Initially I tried to get the humidity higher (based on what Metzer says), but either I'm not getting an accurate humidity reading or the season isn't allowing for humidity higher than 70%.

I wasn't going to try to incubate in winter, but it's been warm and the girls started laying like mad ladies. 

There's a mix of Pekin, Swedish and crosses. One of my Cayuga's eggs was a loss, and it's hard for me to tell which of the other eggs are Pekin vs. Swedish. This first baby may not be purely Pekin; it's still early to tell. She/he is quite yellow. 

The lost Cayuga cross had a dark goo stain down the egg, under where the bill is out. I'll post pictures later and eggtopsy results. 

Is that 67-70% humididty from entire incubation or just for hatch? If that's for the whole incubation, it's way too high... brown goo stains sounds like the eggs didn't lose enough moisture at all...

Misting once a day will help pull moisture from inside the egg, just make sure you don't get water pooling in the bottom of the bator...

I run my duck eggs around 30% for incubation, 65% for hatching...

 

[Pendergast]

67-70% has been for the last 10 days, but the problem is when you're multi-staging, isn't that going to be too high for the younger eggs? Is there a magic level that will work for everyone? Or will misting throughout be the best option?

 

[Ravynscroft]

Nope, no magic number... you need to watch your air cells and make sure they grow beg enough by the end of incubation for them to not be full of goo... lockdown should only be approx 3 days, not 10... and 3 days at higher humidity doesn't harm other eggs in a staggered hatch... they don't 'drown' instantly, it's the extended periods of high humidity that keep them from losing enough moisture...

What humidity were they from beginning of set?

 

[chickens really]

@RavynFallen just helped me hatch Bouncer my Duckling....Follow all instructions she gives you.....I was also doing a mixed Hatch, although I was lucky enough to have a broody Hen to hatch all eggs except for Bouncer was in my incubator......

Sorry you lost some Ducklings....I am starting more Duck eggs tomorrow........


Best of luck......


Cheers!