Muscovy incubation help (already)

[JaeG]

I ordered 6 Muscovy hatching eggs from a lovely lady who I've got chicken eggs off in the past. She sent me 9 eggs, 3 from the 3 nests her hens are currently accumulating. She's labelled them for me so I know which sets are which.

One set of 3 are enormous compared to the others. They are 92-94g. The other 6 range in weight from 64-72g.

I currently have them upright as the air cells looked a little loose, but at which height should the 99.5F be at when they are upright, and do I do it so it's in line with the larger or smaller eggs if it has to be at the top, or should I pad the bottoms of the smaller eggs to make them sit up higher?

I was going to leave them in the egg carton but the large eggs are much too large to do this and I can't close my incubator. So I put them in a tray which is packed with paper towels to support them. But is this going to affect ventilation around them?

It's going to be a nerve wracking 35 days! I'm used to quail eggs, so Muscovy eggs are a whole different kettle of fish.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You might want to try in the incubation forum. Are you incubating them upright? They are probably best laid down, but I'm no expert in incubating.

 

[JaeG]

You might want to try in the incubation forum. Are you incubating them upright? They are probably best laid down, but I'm no expert in incubating.

Thank you - I've done that now. Hopefully someone can answer my question. I've got them sitting vertically because the air cells looked a little loose. I'd read that at 5-7 days in I'll be able to lay them down as they should have settled, but no where can I find where you're supposed to take the temperature reading, seeing as they are so big.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Hopefully you get an answer.

 

[casportpony]

Do you have a way to measure shell temp? Like with a Braun IR ear thermometer?

 

[JaeG]

Do you have a way to measure shell temp? Like with a Braun IR ear thermometer?

No - I'd never thought of using an ear thermometer (we only have the under the tongue ones). That's a brilliant idea. I might have to get one at some point but NZ is on lock down at the moment so no unnecessary trips, and we now live quite a ways from anywhere, which isn't a bad thing at a time like this.

I did take a peek at the air cells last night and they did seem more stable so I might bite the bullet and lie them down once it's actually morning (its currently 4.20am).

 

[casportpony]

Here is some info one measuring shell temp:

 

[RWS]

Have you looked at this article?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubating-and-hatching-muscovy-eggs.63532/

 

[casportpony]

Have you looked at this article?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubating-and-hatching-muscovy-eggs.63532/

I love that article!

 

[JaeG]

Here is some info one measuring shell temp:

Thanks for that - it's now saved on my phone. I'll definitely be getting an ear thermometer when I can.