Incubation progress of Muscovy eggs

[charlindabob]

DAY 32 and none yet....

I checked them this morning and none have hatched although I have seen movement up against the tiny hole I made in a couple of the eggs. I candled them as they lay in the hatching tray and seen movement in most of them. I also candled #5 & #7 and #5 had internally pipped so I drilled a hole and put it among the others. I only have #7 that hasn't internally pipped plus #2 that I tossed earlier not in the hatching tray. Temps are around 98.4 to 98.6. Humidity is in the mid 50's.

There are two or three that have "tented" or made a small crack in the outside shell. None have zippered or rotated the outside cracking process. I very lightly misted all the eggs and closed the 'bator.

I do know that I'm not going to follow the "lock down" rule because I can not adequately monitor the eggs if I can't candle and inspect.

This post will be updated as the day progresses..................

 

[Miss Lydia]

DAY 32 and none yet....

I checked them this morning and none have hatched although I have seen movement up against the tiny hole I made in a couple of the eggs. I candled them as they lay in the hatching tray and seen movement in most of them. I also candled #5 & #7 and #5 had internally pipped so I drilled a hole and put it among the others. I only have #7 that hasn't internally pipped plus #2 that I tossed earlier not in the hatching tray. Temps are around 98.4 to 98.6. Humidity is in the mid 50's.

There are two or three that have "tented" or made a small crack in the outside shell. None have zippered or rotated the outside cracking process. I very lightly misted all the eggs and closed the 'bator.

I do know that I'm not going to follow the "lock down" rule because I can not adequately monitor the eggs if I can't candle and inspect.

This post will be updated as the day progresses..................

 

[yinepu]

DAY 32 and none yet....

I checked them this morning and none have hatched although I have seen movement up against the tiny hole I made in a couple of the eggs. I candled them as they lay in the hatching tray and seen movement in most of them. I also candled #5 & #7 and #5 had internally pipped so I drilled a hole and put it among the others. I only have #7 that hasn't internally pipped plus #2 that I tossed earlier not in the hatching tray. Temps are around 98.4 to 98.6. Humidity is in the mid 50's.

There are two or three that have "tented" or made a small crack in the outside shell. None have zippered or rotated the outside cracking process. I very lightly misted all the eggs and closed the 'bator.

I do know that I'm not going to follow the "lock down" rule because I can not adequately monitor the eggs if I can't candle and inspect.

This post will be updated as the day progresses..................

I always ignore "lockdown" (I hate that term anyway... lol).. I'm always messing around in the bators at hatch.. and have excellent hatch rates.. the 'lockdown" rule was invented to keep newbies from opening bators.. then if they did and there was a problem the long time hatchers would point fingers at the newbie and tell them it was their fault that they should have left things alone (when in fact most problems are caused by closed vents, fan placement in the bator or improper disinfecting and NOT from opening the darn bator)

Just watch out for the yellow goo.. and assist if needed.. sometimes drilling the hole will slow down hatching (not really a bad thing) because the lower oxygen levels help with drawing down blood in the veins.. but a longer hatch will also give them more time to absorb the yolk and close the navel

 

[charlindabob]

I always ignore "lockdown" (I hate that term anyway... lol).. I'm always messing around in the bators at hatch.. and have excellent hatch rates.. the 'lockdown" rule was invented to keep newbies from opening bators.. then if they did and there was a problem the long time hatchers would point fingers at the newbie and tell them it was their fault that they should have left things alone (when in fact most problems are caused by closed vents, fan placement in the bator or improper disinfecting and NOT from opening the darn bator)

Just watch out for the yellow goo.. and assist if needed.. sometimes drilling the hole will slow down hatching (not really a bad thing) because the lower oxygen levels help with drawing down blood in the veins.. but a longer hatch will also give them more time to absorb the yolk and close the navel

I have YOUR directions on my desktop and have been following your directions for this hatch. So far, so good. Thanks!!!
It seems like a fine line between lower oxygen levels to draw the blood into the hatchling and death by suffocation. That was my dilemma of to drill or not to drill, which is the lesser of the two evils (?), so-to-speak. I chose to drill mainly because of the high death rate at theis critical time. I still may not hatch what I have, but it won't be because I haven't tried....

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
usually if you have PLENTY of air flow in the bator you don't have to worry about drilling .. unless the ducklings are weak (shipped eggs or weak bloodlines)...
but if you are using a "normal" commercial made incubator there is a lot less air exchange (they like to make those suckers "air tight"... lol).. home made bators usually have lots of cracks and leaks which make for better air flow... so I usually leave the decision to drill up to the person who owns the eggs.. in my coolerbaters where I have air holes drilled through the walls of the incubator and ALSO have the lid open a good half inch, I don't bother to drill holes because there is plenty of air flow (lol.. and no possible way to "lock down" one of mine!).. but if I was using something like a little giant where there are only a few small holes.. yeah.. i would probably drill just to be on the safe side.

even if you drill every egg every single time.. eventually the duckling or chick will draw down the blood.. it just takes them a bit longer to do it

 

[charlindabob]

usually if you have PLENTY of air flow in the bator you don't have to worry about drilling .. unless the ducklings are weak (shipped eggs or weak bloodlines)...
but if you are using a "normal" commercial made incubator there is a lot less air exchange (they like to make those suckers "air tight"... lol).. home made bators usually have lots of cracks and leaks which make for better air flow... so I usually leave the decision to drill up to the person who owns the eggs.. in my coolerbaters where I have air holes drilled through the walls of the incubator and ALSO have the lid open a good half inch, I don't bother to drill holes because there is plenty of air flow (lol.. and no possible way to "lock down" one of mine!).. but if I was using something like a little giant where there are only a few small holes.. yeah.. i would probably drill just to be on the safe side.

even if you drill every egg every single time.. eventually the duckling or chick will draw down the blood.. it just takes them a bit longer to do it

Just read your recent update on your "hatching" page and it clarified a question I had...THANKS! Also, since my humidity has been running high, even with the use of a good bit of silica gel, I think I'll remove the water from the top shelf in the GQF and I'll still have plenty of humidity. Several weeks ago I did drill another air hole in the incubator the same size as the other air vents, but down closer to the hatching tray.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
yeah the yellow goo is nasty stuff.. we never had to worry about it until this spring (it's normally about 16% relative humidity here.. most days it was closer to 60%).. even though they were ok weight wise there were still several sticky gooey ducklings that I needed to assist.. after that batch i went dry at hatch with the following ones (we were still getting lots of rain.. at least for us.. ) and they did fine.. no more yellow goo. Extra turning will help.. but if you are hatching out a lot of ducklings and hand turning it can take a big chunk out of your life!...

 

[charlindabob]

Update for day 32....

1230, I checked again, no hatching but lots of movement as I candled them (one appeared iffy), maybe not quite internally pipped yet, but movement just the same.

Removed the water from the top shelf and now I have no water in the incubator. I had just added the FIRST water ever to this "clutch" last night, but I have since removed the water as our humidity is still quite high.

I sat about 5-10 minutes and watched the eggs and I don't know if they actually moved or my eyes just think they moved....lol

My clear door on the GQF has three latches on it. I latched the door to keep from opening, but I did not "snap" the latches shut which left about an eighth inch gap up one side of the door. This will create more air flow as long as the temperature stays in the 98 range it should be ok. Temperature right now is 99.1, humidity is now 43%. I think the temp raised a bit because of the door that is ajar.

edit: Quote, from yinepu, "I have found that if I hatch DRY the ducklings have had a much easier hatch this year.. now I am not saying everyone should hatch dry... but if you experience the yellow goo and are planning a second hatch.. try dry hatching (do not raise humidity at hatch) and see how the first duckling does.. IF he has a hard time breaking through the membrane then you will have to raise the humidity to help soften it.. however if he hatches fine you may want to continue dry hatching the rest of the eggs." end Quote.

When you say "membrane", are you speaking of an internal pip or do you mean shell? Sorry to be so full of questions.....

 

[charlindabob]

Above: Leaving the incubator door ajar for better circulation.



Above: The inside of the GQF, center tray removed for better circulation.



Above: 12 eggs that I have drilled in hatching tray. Eggs were NOT cleaned and in the same condition as sent. Duck eggs are notoriously dirty and I didn't want to do any more to them as what you see are stains and won't come off without scrubbing.



Above: Four goose eggs on top shelf.



Above: 4 of 5 thermometers, notice misting bottle on top shelf.
During prior incubation, the white water container and the hatching tray is where I had the silica gel.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Above: Leaving the incubator door ajar for better circulation.



Above: The inside of the GQF, center tray removed for better circulation.



Above: 12 eggs that I have drilled in hatching tray. Eggs were NOT cleaned.



Above: Four goose eggs on top shelf.



Above: 4 of 5 thermometers, notice misting bottle on top shelf.
During prior incubation, the white water container and the hatching tray is where I had the silica gel.

Very nice bator, now any progress? course it seems like it takes forever.