Am I incubating duck eggs correctly

[April’s Zoo]

Please don’t put the egg in water. I hate the float test.

Why?
I mean, it shouldn’t be done just willy-nilly, but when there’s concern about an intact egg and candling is inconclusive, then why not use the float test?
If it is just because of the risk from handling, then even candling presents a risk....

 

[April’s Zoo]

I candled them all again and held them very still and all moving but two are moving but dont have air sac on the blunt end of egg instead looks like half the egg is just one big air sac but they are moving and got very prominent veins

You may need to increase humidity a little, if the air cells are getting too large. Or is it just that one egg?
Glad they are all moving for you! What day are they on now??

Yeah, it sounds like your humidity is too low if the air sac(s) are so big. Can you get the humidity up higher? You might be able to put a *very small* dish of steaming water in the incubator, so that the steam will raise the humidity immediately. Make sure it’s a small dish though, so that you don’t end up also raising the temperature too much.

As for the air cell being on the “wrong” end.... it happens sometimes. Many times the duckling ends up being malpositioned in the egg and will have difficulty hatching. It’s possible that the large air sac will be a good thing if the duckling has difficulty turning to pip into the air sac— it may mean that the duckling will be able to just barely reach it to pip when it otherwise wouldn’t be able to. My point is that sometimes the “weird” things happen for a reason.
I think(?) you are suppose to position the egg with the air sac up, regardless of which end it’s on.... I could be wrong on that, though... maybe someone else can chime in on that point..... @WVduckchick, @Pyxis ?
Make sure you’ve read about assisted hatching in case you do need to intervene.... it’s important not to get impatient and do too much, but it’s also important to be ready to step in if you need to. Do a search on the forum for assisted hatching... there’s a guide on here somewhere. I’m sorry I don’t have it bookmarked, and I don’t have time right now to look it up.

Good luck. I think you’re doing great!

 

[Pyxis]

Why?
I mean, it shouldn’t be done just willy-nilly, but when there’s concern about an intact egg and candling is inconclusive, then why not use the float test?
If it is just because of the risk from handling, then even candling presents a risk....

It's not accurate, unfortunately. Anything it will tell you, you will already know by candling. With a good candler, you can see into any eggs, even marans eggs.

As to the not accurate bit, in the past two weeks I have seen two different members crack open an egg that the float test told them was dead, and it wasn't. Of course, those chicks died. When in doubt, best is just to leave it in, as long as it's not oozing and doesn't stink.

I think(?) you are suppose to position the egg with the air sac up, regardless of which end it’s on.... I could be wrong on that, though... maybe someone else can chime in on that point..... @WVduckchick, @Pyxis ?

Yep, air cell always goes up.

Do a search on the forum for assisted hatching... there’s a guide on here somewhere.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/guide-to-assisted-hatching-for-all-poultry.72886/

 

[April’s Zoo]

Thanks @Pyxis ... I always learn something from you....

And thanks for the link.....

 

[WVduckchick]

Why?
I mean, it shouldn’t be done just willy-nilly, but when there’s concern about an intact egg and candling is inconclusive, then why not use the float test?
If it is just because of the risk from handling, then even candling presents a risk....

Pyxis summed it up well. We’ve seen so many false negatives, it’s very sad. Experienced candling can reveal so much more.

Chicks rest, so lack of movement or sinking in water, or whatever, may not mean anything. Movement in the water proves life, that’s it. But slight movements should also be detected with candling. Or just being patient! Lol

Plus I just don’t like soaking the shell in water. What if there’s a tiny crack that you can’t see with the naked eye? And Minor temp variations inside the incubator are one thing, but water temperature just a few degrees off could be disastrous if the chick is still alive.

Sorry, just so many things I don’t like about that test, when it’s unnecessary. I should have elaborated at the time, but had to run. I apologize.

 

[tanithcrane]

You may need to increase humidity a little, if the air cells are getting too large. Or is it just that one egg?
Glad they are all moving for you! What day are they on now??

Two have the big air sacs they were orginally on high humidity but found out humidity was meant to be less then turned up starting lockdown i reduced humidity but air sacs have stayed the same will this affect hatching
Thankyou pip and squeak are on day 20 and the others are not far behind think theres only 6 days between them all got new incubator and brooder arriving tommorow when i put pip and squeak in lock down i will put others in new incubator i checked them again and all still moving just worried about two with large air sacs

 

[tanithcrane]

Thankyou for all the help i will definatlet look up how to help them if they need it think a few might be hard hatchers when it comes to lock down should i fill up resivour to the top and put a damp little cloth or something in there