Incubation progress of Muscovy eggs

[casportpony]

Quote: Awhile ago, why?

-Kathy

 

[charlindabob]

Thank you, Bob. I knew this - I believe I read it early on in this thread, from you! Aren't the eggs supposed to lose 2% of their weight every two weeks? I know I read that somewhere, and I knew it! In fact, when I first collected the eggs and started putting them in the bator, I WAS weighing them (we have a gram scale). I did it for a while, then stopped. Clearly, it is important enough that I should have NEVER stopped!

Am I right that the goal is for the eggs to lose 2% of their weight every 2 weeks?

Michelle

Michelle, Ideally it would be 2.8% per week or 5.6% for two weeks. Chicken eggs I don't worry too much about, but if you want a REAL challenge, try incubating Mandarin ducks through hatch with success! Nothing has to be exact, but I have learned to strive for perfection and even then it is difficult to have a 100% hatch of viable eggs. I have not succeeded with Mandarins or even the easier Muscovies.
An example: egg in grams when first placed in incubator is say 80 grams. Should weigh at week one - 77.76 grams. Weight at two weeks - 75.52grams. Weight at three weeks - 73.28 grams. Weight at four weeks - 71.04 grams. Weight at five weeks - 68.8 grams. I always round off to the nearest gram. So, when the 80 gram egg hatches, it should now weigh 69 grams.

 

[AnimalQuackers]

they haven't been moving for quite some time. Since before 9 (Breeze) and 10 (Alcatraz) came out.

I am so glad you remember, Subhanalah! I couldn't! I swear I don't know how I survive, because I have the worst memory in the world....but this does seem correct.

 

[AnimalQuackers]

Michelle, Ideally it would be 2.8% per week or 5.6% for two weeks. Chicken eggs I don't worry too much about, but if you want a REAL challenge, try incubating Mandarin ducks through hatch with success! Nothing has to be exact, but I have learned to strive for perfection and even then it is difficult to have a 100% hatch of viable eggs. I have not succeeded with Mandarins or even the easier Muscovies.
An example: egg in grams when first placed in incubator is say 80 grams. Should weigh at week one - 77.76 grams. Weight at two weeks - 75.52grams. Weight at three weeks - 73.28 grams. Weight at four weeks - 71.04 grams. Weight at five weeks - 68.8 grams. I always round off to the nearest gram. So, when the 80 gram egg hatches, it should now weigh 68 grams.

EXCELLENT information, Bob! Thank you so much!

 

[charlindabob]

EXCELLENT information, Bob! Thank you so much!

Another thing Michelle, it is extremely important to have good air circulation with some fresh air towards the end of the incubation just before and during pipping and hatching. I am not an advocate of "lockdown" as it makes no sense to me and I check eggs twice a day during this most critical period. Incubating is one thing, hatching is entirely something else. If you do practice lockdown, make sure to leave a couple of vents open.
Bob

 

[subhanalah]

Bob, Lori what do you think about closing the vents during the first part of incubation to thin the shells and help encourage embryonic growth by raisingthe CO2 levels?

 

[charlindabob]

Bob, Lori what do you think about closing the vents during the first part of incubation to thin the shells and help encourage embryonic growth by raisingthe CO2 levels?

That is fine and probably a good practice, (I do it, but I'm not the expert) but during the last days you must have fresh air circulation throughout your incubator. I have automatic turners but I also hand turn each egg once a day which means I have the door open every day so my closing the vents is probably futile.

 

[casportpony]

Thought you guys and gals might get a kick out of this picture.



-Kathy

 

[Lacrystol]

Awhile ago, why?

-Kathy

When's there due date?? So we can exspect pics..

 

[subhanalah]

Oh my gosh, duckling avalanche!