anybody in lockdown?

[TXTiffany]

I plan on using wood shavings. What are you using? Do not open the bator!! lolololol I am going to turn down the TV, and go have look inside the incubator. Maybe I can hear them since the kids are in bed, and the house is quiet.

 

[Kricket638]

Right now I am using old rags and towels..I have some aspen shavings in there but covered them up since some tried to eat it. I am afraid they will get choked. Once they get a bit older I can start using the shavings.

 

[TXTiffany]

That's a good idea. What about newspaper? I just had a look, and didn't hear anything or see any movement

 

[Kricket638]

It becomes slick and you have more a risk for spaddled legs. I think I will go to the feed store and get some chicken wire and put it over corn cob litter . Egg ten is moving still no pip . I know its easier said than done just give it time. They are teaching you to be patient.

 

[Alitown4]

Update: Little one #3 is zipping!!!! He made some real progress this afternoon while we were at a baseball game. I have a feeling hatch will be during the night. I haven't noticed movement in my other 3 eggs.

Finger crossed for you Tiffany!!!

@Kricket - how many eggs did you set? You are having a great hatch! Congrats!!!!

So...you guys going to try this again?

 

[Kricket638]

I orginally set 14. I lost two in week 2 . Egg ten piped while I was sleeping! I have four eggs in set to hatch end of this week. I am not sure if I will do anymore this year or not. I wasn't expecting such a good hatch. I have eleven to go in but I am thinking I will try and bake with some. They say ducks eggs will make your cakes richer and fluffier. Anybody ever cook with duck eggs? Will you do anymore ali? Tiffany any progess? You haven't drove yourself mad?

 

[TXTiffany]

Thanks guys. Nothing new to report. It's been 24 hours since I saw the internal pip. Added more water to the sponges in the bator this morning to keep the humidity up. No movement or sounds.

I was sure when I got up this morning there would be a pip. I will set more as soon as I get back from out of town if these don't hatch. You guys are doing great. Lucky!! I am a little Jelly. lol.................How about some pics?

 

[Alitown4]

Update: First thing this am little guy hadn't made much progress compared to the night before. My husband determined he was stuck so he helped him out...first just finished up the zipping and then after that noticed that it was really gooey in the egg so he finished helping the little duck the rest of the way out. I'm not sure if that was right to do or not. It's a hard call at the heat of the moment. The little guy seems kinda week and having a hard time getting his legs out from being tucked. One leg almost looks deformed - but not sure. Hopefully he will get his fight on and become a happy healthy little quacker!

I want to do another hatch as soon as I can. I am worried about ordering eggs of the chicken breeds my kids and I want (Black Copper Marans, Easter Eggers and Silkies) as I understand the success rate isn't so great with shipped eggs and then combine that with my lack of experience and using my incubator that has heat spikes from time to time. I noticed that the price on those hatching eggs is as much as a baby chick (at least from mypetchicken.com it is) so the cost is an issue as well. But...I think I've lucked out and have a lead on an assortment of rare chicken breed hatching eggs that I won't have to have shipped in the mail. If that works out I will have those eggs next weekend. I think I will set the eggs on a Saturday and hopefully they will hatch over a weekend so my kids won't miss anything.

I use my duck eggs. I always will mix them in with my chicken eggs when doing up scrambled eggs and use the duck eggs in most everything I bake. I don't bake often but when I do I use them and get great results! Everyone LOVES my pumpkin bread at Chirstams time and my secret is the duck eggs I did read that if you fry them they can get rubbery so you need to add little water to the pan - I haven't tried that yet. Sometimes people worry the eggs will taste "gamey" or "ducky" and I haven't noticed that with my Indain Runner eggs but I read that if your duck has access to water with alge or fish in it that will cause the eggs to taste off.

@Kricket - you said you have four eggs set to hatch the end of this week - did you set all your eggs in the same incubator at the same time or add those four eggs later? If you set all at the same time and in the same incubatore; how did you determine they were a week behind and have you been turing those eggs? Or perhaps I missed that you have another bator going...

 

[Alitown4]

I so wish my husband wouldn't have "helped" this little guy out...totally the wrong thing to do I can hear the little guy struggling around the incubator and he had all this sticky stuff dry and stick his little leg and wing down. I tried to wash and chip it off as best as I could without giving him a heart attack out of fear. I don't think he had totally absorbed the yolk and blood vessels as I can see "stuff" hanging from his abdomen. Men...I tell you...they see a problem and just want to jump in and fix it..grrr...I am so mad!!! And this was MY project! Now what am I to do? I can't listen to this all day - the incubator is in my kitchen for goodness sake! I guess I'll call the vet...

 

[Kricket638]

Sleepy did the same thing. I was all to hell. But I gave him some water and he seem to perk up after that. Just give him a little time and sing to him he is more scared than any. I noticed if there is only one duck in the incubator. He will cry until another one hatches.I set some a week a later .I wish I had a second incubator. Yees I have been turning them and it is causing my humidity drop . I still hear number pecking so that is good . Tiffany just give the little guys time. They are really slow hatchers. If I don't have any action out number ten by next morning I might help him. I will give you some of my eggs . They are laying everyday and I have more eggs than I need. I feed mine minnows that's why I hadn't used them. I will have to stop that. I don't think that will taste very good in a cake. I will post more pics on my profile. I can't seem to post them on the thread since I am using my blackberry.