Help with Muscovy hatch?

[rilly10]

I am currently incubating my first Muscovy eggs in a Brinsea Eco 20. I am having trouble getting the humidity over 50% even with both wells filled and the vent closed. I have read after a week you can start spraying them, but should I start sooner? Right now I am on day 5 and it looks like 13/15 are developing (one had a detached air cell, and one was clear).

So my question is, what do you guys think is the ideal humidity, and what should I do to get there? Wet sponges in the empty spots of the tray (not touching the eggs of course), spraying, or anything else? Thanks in advance!!! I am REALLY hoping I can get these to hatch!!!

 

[yinepu]

I am currently incubating my first Muscovy eggs in a Brinsea Eco 20. I am having trouble getting the humidity over 50% even with both wells filled and the vent closed. I have read after a week you can start spraying them, but should I start sooner? Right now I am on day 5 and it looks like 13/15 are developing (one had a detached air cell, and one was clear).

So my question is, what do you guys think is the ideal humidity, and what should I do to get there? Wet sponges in the empty spots of the tray (not touching the eggs of course), spraying, or anything else? Thanks in advance!!! I am REALLY hoping I can get these to hatch!!!

if you're only on day 5.. having humidity that high is a good way to end up with drowned ducklings (assuming the hygrometer is correct)..

for now.. toss the hygrometer and rely on the air cells to tell you if you need more humidity... and I would empty out those water wells until you know for sure if the air cells are on track or not. If the air cells start getting too big too quickly .. THEN add water
(there is an air cell chart in the link in my signature for hatching out muscovys)

as for the ideal humidity... there is no magic number.. it will vary from home to home.. even room to room in the same house.. then take into consideration the weather, water features, heaters, fan placement of the bator, shell porosity and more... lol..lots of factors that come into play which can affect the humidity.. which is why the eggs themselves should be your guide to the perfect humidity for that particular hatch.. in your home and in that incubator

by the way.. open that darn vent on the incubator and leave it open!!!

 

[Amiga]

I have been reading on the forum that there are two kinds of humidity reading. Wet bulb, and relative humidity.

Which are you using?

Also, there is a Sticky on hatching Muscovy eggs - have you read that?

(I am not a hatcher, just sharing what I have seen here)

 

[rilly10]

Thanks! I did read it, but do not have a scale....I will have to go try to find one. I am reading humidity with a hydrometer from the reptile department, which would be relative humidity I believe.

 

[rilly10]

Oh ok! A friend of mine who used to breed and hatch them said she would hatch at 86% so I thought mine was way to low....I guess I need to read up more, chicken eggs are way easy I guess compared to Muscovys. :/

 

[charlindabob]

Oh ok! A friend of mine who used to breed and hatch them said she would hatch at 86% so I thought mine was way to low....I guess I need to read up more, chicken eggs are way easy I guess compared to Muscovys. :/

Seriously, listen to yinepu if you want ducklings! Get those vents open and humidity down. I add Muscovy eggs weekly to my incubator and my first batch of eggs was only 6 (as they just started laying) and as it happens, today is hatch day. My humidity was between 30 & 40% for the duration and I have 6 live ducklings. I weigh EVERY egg and watch the weight, but some with much more experience than I can look at the air sac and tell if the humidity is right on.

yinepu has directions in here of steps to follow and my advice is to follow them.

 

[rilly10]

Thanks everyone! Vents have been open since this AM! It is back down to 35% now. I am going to try to find a scale tonight Worst case I will go off of the diagram for cell size. I will keep you all posted on them!

 

[MIster Ducker]

Just to let you know, Moscovys are hard ducks to hatch(bigger the egg, harder to hatch), and if not done exactly right, can end in disaster. Please keep us updated on what happens! I really want to know how it goes

 

[charlindabob]

Just to let you know, Moscovys are hard ducks to hatch(bigger the egg, harder to hatch), and if not done exactly right, can end in disaster. Please keep us updated on what happens! I really want to know how it goes

We all want you to have a successful hatch. Walmart has scales (in GRAMS) in the kitchen gadget aisle. They are about $15 I think.

 

[yinepu]

Just to let you know, Moscovys are hard ducks to hatch(bigger the egg, harder to hatch), and if not done exactly right, can end in disaster. Please keep us updated on what happens! I really want to know how it goes

nah... they are easy peasy if you know how!

and if bigger eggs were harder to hatch.. how come I had so darn many emu chicks this year!