noobie egg questions

[aychbe]

Hello all!

I am considering hatching some of my eggs for the first time but I had a few questions prior to attempting.

Is there a time frame in which I have to begin incubation? For example, the egg is laid on a Monday. Can I wait a week or so in order for me to have a large enough quantity to have duckling pairs? I have 4 females: a khaki campbell, black swede, rouen, and a rouen/crested mix. From the numbers I've read online, I'm assuming that my khaki campbell is the most regular layer, followed by the others. The winter has been a rough one here but prior to the sub-zero temperatures, they were yielding around a dozen a week and I wouldn't want to attempt to hatch less than that. I've never actually seen any of them lay. They typically do it either very early in the morning and there's eggs in their house or they lay mid-day and I'll find one or two in the yard when I get home from work.

Can refrigerated eggs be incubated? Along those same lines, if temperature is falling below freezing outside, does that make the eggs unsuitable for hatching? Is there a safe low temperature to watch for? How would you recommend storing eggs for hatching?

Is it possible for me to identify the layer of the egg by the color of the eggs? Most of my eggs are white/tan-ish but very recently I have started getting eggs that are blueish green. I read that both swedes and rouen can lay blueish eggs so I wondered if any of you with those breeds can confirm this or if it's just a pot luck, random thing that all breeds are capable of?

Thanks!

 

[Odelia]

The eggs should not be kept in the refrigerator. People have hatched eggs that they bought from the grocery store so it isn't impossible for them to hatch. Ideally they should be kept in the mid 50's you want to turn them daily. So if you put them in an egg carton you want them pointed side down so that the air sack is at the top. You can rotate which end of the egg carton you have elevated to turn the eggs.. Ideally you want to collect eggs for 5 days, but 10 days still seems to have good hatch rates. Eggs do not freeze at 32 degrees, but it is best if they are not exposed to freezing temperatures. Good luck.

 

[Lacrystol]

The eggs should not be kept in the refrigerator.  People have hatched eggs that they bought from the grocery store so it isn't impossible for them to hatch.  Ideally they should be kept in the mid 50's you want to turn them daily.  So if you put them in an egg carton you want them pointed side down so that the air sack is at the top.  You can rotate which end of the egg carton you have elevated to turn the eggs..  Ideally you want to collect eggs for 5 days, but 10 days still seems to have good hatch rates.  Eggs do not freeze at 32 degrees, but it is best if they are not exposed to freezing temperatures.  Good luck. 

Ditto

 

[Lacrystol]

Hello all!

I am considering hatching some of my eggs for the first time but I had a few questions prior to attempting.

Is there a time frame in which I have to begin incubation? For example, the egg is laid on a Monday. Can I wait a week or so in order for me to have a large enough quantity to have duckling pairs? I have 4 females: a khaki campbell, black swede, rouen, and a rouen/crested mix. From the numbers I've read online, I'm assuming that my khaki campbell is the most regular layer, followed by the others. The winter has been a rough one here but prior to the sub-zero temperatures, they were yielding around a dozen a week and I wouldn't want to attempt to hatch less than that. I've never actually seen any of them lay. They typically do it either very early in the morning and there's eggs in their house or they lay mid-day and I'll find one or two in the yard when I get home from work.

Can refrigerated eggs be incubated? Along those same lines, if temperature is falling below freezing outside, does that make the eggs unsuitable for hatching? Is there a safe low temperature to watch for? How would you recommend storing eggs for hatching?

Is it possible for me to identify the layer of the egg by the color of the eggs? Most of my eggs are white/tan-ish but very recently I have started getting eggs that are blueish green. I read that both swedes and rouen can lay blueish eggs so I wondered if any of you with those breeds can confirm this or if it's just a pot luck, random thing that all breeds are capable of?

Thanks!

The first problem I see is you want to incubate different types, which is good, however, you need to know exactly how many days it takes for each breed and comensate for those days.

For example: let's say I want to hatch a call duck and a Muskie ,

Well a call duck takes 26 days to hatch three days before that day is lockdown day from him..

Now muskies take 30 days so lockdown day is three days before that.

Lockdown means, you stop turning them and jack up the humidity to about 60-65,

If I put both types of eggs in the bator at the same day, something is going to go wrong, unless I have a second bator available but let's say I don't, so three days before the call duck is due I lock him down humidity up, problem well I just put the muskies in lock down too but they aren't suppose to for another 24 hours...

What happens next, the muskies will get to much moisture possible drown, or will not be able to get out because of all the extra moisture trapped in the shell.

So to solve the problem what needed to be done is I should put the muskies in to get them going, wait 24 hours and then put the call duck egg in, this way when lockdown day comes, guess what all of them will be in lockdown..once the calls hatch they can come out and my Muskie stays in until his hatched but they all enter the lock down stage at one time..

 

[aychbe]

The eggs should not be kept in the refrigerator. People have hatched eggs that they bought from the grocery store so it isn't impossible for them to hatch. Ideally they should be kept in the mid 50's you want to turn them daily. So if you put them in an egg carton you want them pointed side down so that the air sack is at the top. You can rotate which end of the egg carton you have elevated to turn the eggs.. Ideally you want to collect eggs for 5 days, but 10 days still seems to have good hatch rates. Eggs do not freeze at 32 degrees, but it is best if they are not exposed to freezing temperatures. Good luck.

Just for clarity, I understand what you mean by pointed down (the small, less round part of the egg), but I'm unsure what you mean by turning the eggs by switching the elevated end of the egg carton. I was unaware of needing to rotate the eggs prior to incubation so if you can offer some clarity, I will be grateful!

The first problem I see is you want to incubate different types, which is good, however, you need to know exactly how many days it takes for each breed and comensate for those days.

For example: let's say I want to hatch a call duck and a Muskie ,

Well a call duck takes 26 days to hatch three days before that day is lockdown day from him..

Now muskies take 30 days so lockdown day is three days before that.

Lockdown means, you stop turning them and jack up the humidity to about 60-65,

If I put both types of eggs in the bator at the same day, something is going to go wrong, unless I have a second bator available but let's say I don't, so three days before the call duck is due I lock him down humidity up, problem well I just put the muskies in lock down too but they aren't suppose to for another 24 hours...

What happens next, the muskies will get to much moisture possible drown, or will not be able to get out because of all the extra moisture trapped in the shell.

So to solve the problem what needed to be done is I should put the muskies in to get them going, wait 24 hours and then put the call duck egg in, this way when lockdown day comes, guess what all of them will be in lockdown..once the calls hatch they can come out and my Muskie stays in until his hatched but they all enter the lock down stage at one time..

Thank you for identifying a potential issue before it arises. I was under the assumption that all my breeds had an incubation period of 28 days with a lockdown on the 26th day (according to this chart). If this is incorrect and I'll need to set up multiple incubators, could someone with experience with swedes, khaki campbells and rouens please let me know what the incubation periods are. I'm hoping that all my breeds have the same incubation period because most of the eggs look the same and I don't know if I'll be able to identify which breed laid which egg.

Lastly, and I don't know if this has any bearing on the incubation period, I have 2 males, a black swede and a khaki campbell. They both mate with all the females. Will this effect the incubation period in any way?

Thank you both for all your help!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

You could always just go with a Broody Duck. Wasaaaayyyyyy easier.

 

[Lacrystol]

Just for clarity, I understand what you mean by pointed down (the small, less round part of the egg), but I'm unsure what you mean by turning the eggs by switching the elevated end of the egg carton. I was unaware of needing to rotate the eggs prior to incubation so if you can offer some clarity, I will be grateful!



Thank you for identifying a potential issue before it arises. I was under the assumption that all my breeds had an incubation period of 28 days with a lockdown on the 26th day (according to this chart). If this is incorrect and I'll need to set up multiple incubators, could someone with experience with swedes, khaki campbells and rouens please let me know what the incubation periods are. I'm hoping that all my breeds have the same incubation period because most of the eggs look the same and I don't know if I'll be able to identify which breed laid which egg.

Lastly, and I don't know if this has any bearing on the incubation period, I have 2 males, a black swede and a khaki campbell. They both mate with all the females. Will this effect the incubation period in any way?

Thank you both for all your help!

Well I can tell you when I store my eggs I put them in an egg carton at room temp, the cooler the better like the basement, but I have never turner my eggs during this storage period. The smaller end should always be down, I have posted on my site www.lwbarnhouse.com click on the duck tab, there's two methods that I have used to hatch calls, these methods works for anything even chickens with the exception you don't sponge a chicken egg as stated in the first method.
Let me check your incubating dates on those types of ducks, but it's really not going to do you any good because you don't know what eggs are what. LOL

Well you could always go by the dipping. Once they dip they are in there lockdown stage!!! So you could actually just use two bators count at least 22 days and start candling them each day until they dip then move them to the second bator being your lockdown bator.

Dipping is when the air cell takes a dive to one side..

 

[Lacrystol]

You could always just go with a Broody Duck. Wasaaaayyyyyy easier.

Oh hell yes!!!!!

 

[aychbe]

Well I can tell you when I store my eggs I put them in an egg carton at room temp, the cooler the better like the basement, but I have never turner my eggs during this storage period. The smaller end should always be down, I have posted on my site www.lwbarnhouse.com click on the duck tab, there's two methods that I have used to hatch calls, these methods works for anything even chickens with the exception you don't sponge a chicken egg as stated in the first method.
Let me check your incubating dates on those types of ducks, but it's really not going to do you any good because you don't know what eggs are what. LOL

Well you could always go by the dipping. Once they dip they are in there lockdown stage!!! So you could actually just use two bators count at least 22 days and start candling them each day until they dip then move them to the second bator being your lockdown bator.

Dipping is when the air cell takes a dive to one side..

Sweet! I will use your hatching method. Thank you very much!

I have yet to purchase an incubator. I plan on doing so within the week. The supply store nearest me carries 2 types: A still air and a circulated air. The difference in price point is about $80. I could grab 2 still air for the price of the circulated but being that I'm only starting out, would it be most adventurous to buy the more expensive circulated air or can I obtain similar and reliable results using the still air? I'm so new to this whole thing...hahaha!

As best as I can tell, both swedes and khaki campbells have an incubation period of about 28 days (khakis, swedes) and rouens have 28-30 (rouen). With time frames this close, would I have to do a second incubator?

Thanks again!

 

[aychbe]

*err advantageous... auto correct