How to hatch call ducklings? ***Updated questions!****

[PoultryGirly]

Hi. I've just ordered 12 call duck eggs from eBay today, because I'm looking to add more cute call ducks (only females) to my flock of 3. Last month, my first hatch hatched. 9 out of 10 fertile eggs hatched! Will incubating call ducks be similar to incubating chickens? I need the correct directions and tips on how to hatch call ducklings, please. I'm going to try and do my best on these hard-to-hatch cuties!!!

 

[SilkieSensation]

Quote: The higher quality birds have extremely small bills which makes it hard for them to get out of the shell sometimes. I always let them try on their own & don't try to help unless they have made no progress for a full 24 hrs.

 

[Lacrystol]

Anyone want help with call ducks please let me know, I have hatched out 33 call ducks this year already...

 

[Bantymama]

Im no expert on the subject and maybe someone with more experience will chime in. Over the years I have not had much luck a few here and there and my calls do not sit. I put them under a broody hen when possible. Last year a mink got my pair but she had laid some eggs so I put them in King Suro incubator in the turner and had 2 develop and hatch and I got a hen and a drake. I keep the temp at 99.9 and the humidity at 50 for the first 23 days and upped the humidity to 80 for the last few days, I took them out of the turner at the beginning of day 23. I noticed that mine always seem to hatch on day 25. Before I put them in the bator I let them sit on the counter for a day to rest as they got scattered all over during the mink attack. My calls are now above ground away from predators. Some people have better luck then others. Keep notes and let us know how it goes. Im hoping the snow melts and spring arrives so mine will start laying.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Does anyone else have an experience with hatching calls? I have a few specific questions:
1. I've heard about cooling the eggs once a day. Is this necessary, and if so, when should I start?

2. When is lockdown for the eggs?

3. When do ducklings hatch? Is it always on day 28?

4. After the eggs arrive to me, how long should they "rest" before setting them in the 'bator? Also, so what if they arrived Wednesday: could I wait to set them on Saturday?

5. What should I do if they have detached air pockets?

6. Is the temperature the same as hatching chicken eggs?

7. Any other advice is greatly needed!

Don't over candle. Due to tiny bills calls sometimes need assistance with hatch. Monitor & only assist if necessary. Don't try to help too soon. Check Sally Sunshine's signature links for assisted hatch if needed.

8. Should I use my turner? I would only, if I turned by hand, be able to turn the eggs at 8 am, 5 pm, and 10 pm.
I hand turn. The goal is 3 times per day, but sometimes I only turn once or twice if I have other things going on. If you use a turner remember to turn it off & lay eggs on their sides for lockdown & hatch. This prevents babies from getting stuck in the turner or bumping the heating element in the lid of the bator.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Thanks so much! All of that really help! One more question: for lockdown should I take the eggs out of the turner and put them on their sides or put them in an egg carton like I did for my chicken eggs? If the eggs do have detached air cells and then they re-attach, do I still need to put them in the carton?

I always lay mine down no matter what. Other people will tell you different ways. I feel the babies need room to wiggle & maneuver to get into position & need to be able to get the egg to rock & roll to do that. I run my bators pretty full so they don't usually get to play soccer with their hatch mates simply because there isn't room. If you have a smaller number of babies hatching, try using hatching baskets or small boxes with the bottoms cut out to separate eggs with just 2-3 per section. That will help keep eggs from getting kicked across the bator while trying to hatch.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I have had my call duck eggs with a mother and she hatched them in 28 days last year. This year i had a mother start them and then she left them, i put them in the incubator and saved a few of them, they took about 34 days to finally come out but they are healthy.
with temperature i had them at about 97-99 degrees F. and the humidity around 80%

The reason they took so long is because your temps are WAAAAYYYYYY low. Probably why you also only hatched a few. Temps should be 99.5 for a bator with a fan & 100.5 for still air. Even temps to 101 are ok. Below 99 will delay hatch by a good bit. You probably also drowned several with humidity so high. 40-50% for incubation in still air, 50-60% for lockdown. Add 10-15% for forced air to each of those humidities.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Usually you need to give them an air hole after 24 hours internally pipped if they don't externally pip.

 

[Terry2]

Thank you for all the great advice. Here is a picture of our classroom brood of 10.

 

[nhbradley]

I always lay mine down no matter what. Other people will tell you different ways. I feel the babies need room to wiggle & maneuver to get into position & need to be able to get the egg to rock & roll to do that. I run my bators pretty full so they don't usually get to play soccer with their hatch mates simply because there isn't room. If you have a smaller number of babies hatching, try using hatching baskets or small boxes with the bottoms cut out to separate eggs with just 2-3 per section. That will help keep eggs from getting kicked across the bator while trying to hatch.

I take butter knives and put them in a V shape so they can't roll across the whole incubator. That's not helping me much with my call eggs right now though. Today's day 28
Humidity is 75 but it's not looking good and they were all alive a week ago. Sad baby grand-girls