Hands on hatching and help

[jenniferlamar70]

Anyone here know if what type of infrared thermometer I need for the duck eggs and can I use a normal one like what I would purchase for my kids or do I need one made for eggs?

 

[Pyxis]

Yes I thought about that. I'm going to start it in the manual incubator that worked the best until the others hatch. That should only be about a week since they won't be shipping it until the 10th. Then I'll move them to the good incubator. I'm thinking about getting a fee goose eggs too but I can't find the breed I want. I thought maybe I could hatch those with the duck eggs that way if only one hatches their is still maybe a goose too. Of not I'll go to a hatchery and order some ducklings. I have 3 older ones already. 2 Swedish and one roen. I have a week so I will for sure work it out by then.

If you do decide to do geese make sure you read the hatching guide by Pete in the goose section, it's great. Geese are very demanding to hatch - they require regular cooling periods, misting, and special turning. What breed are you looking into? I'm very happy with my roman tufteds.

 

[Pyxis]

Anyone here know if what type of infrared thermometer I need for the duck eggs and can I use a normal one like what I would purchase for my kids or do I need one made for eggs?

You shouldn't need one - you can hatch them just like you do chicken eggs, with the exception of higher humidity during lockdown, so whatever you're using for the temp for your chicken eggs will be fine.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

If you do decide to do geese make sure you read the hatching guide by Pete in the goose section, it's great. Geese are very demanding to hatch - they require regular cooling periods, misting, and special turning. What breed are you looking into? I'm very happy with my roman tufteds.

I would like some Chinese but all I really saw were African. I was tempted cause they look similar but when I did some reading on them they don't lay as well and are more territorial. I wouldn't mind some pilgrim geese as well just cause you can feather sex them but they don't seem that popular. I decided just to stick with the ancona eggs for now. I ordered some extra to hopefully make sure Adleast 2 hatch.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

You shouldn't need one - you can hatch them just like you do chicken eggs, with the exception of higher humidity during lockdown, so whatever you're using for the temp for your chicken eggs will be fine.

So I don't have to mist them or anything like that?

 

[Pyxis]

So I don't have to mist them or anything like that?

I never do - I treat them exactly as I do chicken eggs. The only eggs I treat differently are geese eggs and peafowl eggs.

 

[RubyNala97]

We let them get up to room temperature for 24h in the carton, with fat end of the egg upwards, then I move them into the incubator which I have at the right temperature ready and waiting. Anything else I can do? The air cells this time were pretty much all misshappen, we had wrong end pippers and one chick pipped in the right spot but must've hit a pocket of fluid somewhere and drowned. The one decent air cell was the only egg which hatched. Mostly they quit before that though. I've set some other eggs a couple weeks back in my older cheaper incubator (mini Eco) and have pretty much done nothing other than turn them a couple of times a day and add a bit of water (often it's dry though) and they are developing beautifully. They're our own eggs though. Thanks for the help and support y'all! I really appreciate it.

If I get bad air cells (which 9 out of 10 times I do) I put them in little cut down cartons and once I set them I leave them unturned for 24 hours. Then on day 2 I gently tilt them at a 45 degree angle 5 x day. I never use automatic turners with shipped eggs. I bet your eggs are going to do great!! Here's some pics...

I never brought down my bucket of feed that I had upstairs for Peep and look what I found in it just a bit ago..... isn't he cute??? He got in but couldn't get out.

Oh my goodness! What a cutie! But that would have startled me!! Did you figure out the no notifications yet?

Geez the bug has seriously bitten me. I just ordered 2 ancona duck eggs. I just got on there to look thinking it might be nice to eventually have a few more ducks and then boom they were getting ready to be shipped... :/ hmm what is this self control you speak of.. hubby is going to kick my butt lol

Ducks are so fun as babies!

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I never do - I treat them exactly as I do chicken eggs. The only eggs I treat differently are geese eggs and peafowl eggs.

Whew that is such a relief.. I hope I get a good hatch. I love ducks.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

If I get bad air cells (which 9 out of 10 times I do) I put them in little cut down cartons and once I set them I leave them unturned for 24 hours. Then on day 2 I gently tilt them at a 45 degree angle 5 x day. I never use automatic turners with shipped eggs. I bet your eggs are going to do great!!
Here's some pics...

Oh my goodness! What a cutie! But that would have startled me!! Did you figure out the no notifications yet?
Ducks are so fun as babies!

And messy lol but so worth it lol

 

[Blooie]

Holy smokes! I've been so wrapped up in Kendra and her surgery that I totally forgot to go out and take some shots of the Silkies in with the big chicks! Doggone it, remind me and I'll go out and do that in the morning. I am so doggone pleased with how well they've done! Was it just last month that I didn't know what I would do with Silkies? Well, now I know - I'm gonna enjoy every fuzzy one of them! And Katie is totally in love!