mummy to be

[qwackers]

Hey guys. Just thought I'd say hello as I've spent so much time learning things from this site I figured I may as well become a member!
We've just picked up an incubator yesterday and are picking up runner eggs and 2x year old ducks at the weekend too! So excited!
Just wondered if anyone had any suggestions as to the amount of eggs I should get? I'm a first timer at this and will be using a hand made incubator which has proven successful for lots of other people and have an in-depth instruction manual. I've tried to do as much research as I can, I'm dreaming duck info at the mo! I told the guy we're getting the eggs from that I'd ideally like 3 ducklings to hatch. He says his eggs have a 95% success rate - but he's been hatching a while. He reckons I should get 12 eggs. I'm worried optimistically that I'll be overrun with ducklings! I don't have enough room for that many! Help!? Thanks Beth.

 

[Megan Amber]

After you test run your incubator without eggs you will be able to see how well your bator holds temp and humidity. Then you can determine how many eggs to get. Something smells fishy if the guy you are buying eggs from says he has a 95% hatch rate, knows you only ultimately want three ducks and still says you should get 12!I might would get 6 eggs after I tested my incubator.

 

[qwackers]

Thanks for replying! Yeh I thought 12 was abit excessive! Maybe he's having a job getting rid of them. I have a day off tomorrow so I'll plug it in and let the temperature and humidity even out and see where we are. What do you think about putting a heat sink in there too like a rock or something?

 

[Megan Amber]

I would run it without one for a while and then see what happened when you put it in. We actually made our first incubator and the directions said to put one of those toy water worms in it. That must have been why! I never really thought it needed it though and ultimately it became a home for hatching bacteria.

 

[qwackers]

Yeh I did think that when they said about bringing a rock in from out side. I'll let you know how I get on! Thanks for the advice

 

[Megan Amber]

Excellent! Can't wait to hear how it goes!

 

[qwackers]

Heya, I had it on for a good four hours it got up to temp ok and the humidity too. I had a sponge in a clay bowl of luke warm water for the humidity. When I turned it off I stuck my hand in...so cosy I'd like to stay in there for a while! This may be a stupid question but what does how the incubator works have to do with deciding how many eggs to hatch? If that makes sense!?

Picked up duck food today and the coop was delivered its al getting very real! The 2 in my pic are the 2 adults we're getting at the weekend. Hope they keep and eye out for the ducklings when they arrive.

 

[Megan Amber]

Not a stupid question at all! I was going judge how well the incubator works and use that to help decide how well your eggs will hatch. If it ran pretty well and you really only want three ducks then I would get 5 or 6 eggs!

 

[qwackers]

I seeee. That makes sense! 6 eggs it is! Thanks for your help. I shall post some pics when we get them!

 

[qwackers]

Me again. Just candled our runner eggs - we got 6 in the end. Checked them a couple of days ago and all were fine. Couldn't resist doing it again and there's one that looks funny.the first pic is what the 5 good ones look like and the latter is the possibly dodgy egg. What do you think? I'm new at this so any help would be great!

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