April 2021 Hatch - A - Long

[FortCluck]

BYM.

Ducks are pure Saxony, blue Swedish, Rouen & Welsh Harlequin.

Drake: Rouen mix

Usually the heat makes them hatch early. If it’s happened more than once I would get more than one thermometer and see what each of them says. I use glass thermometers not digital. Digital ones tend to be off and the thermometer on the incubator is usually never spot on.

What’s your humidity at till lockdown?

Sorry if you already answered that

 

[spryng]

Just out of curiosity, does it matter if they hatch early? This was my first time incubating so I'm still learning

 

[FortCluck]

Just out of curiosity, does it matter if they hatch early? This was my first time incubating so I'm still learning

They might not be fully developed if they hatch early. It also gives them less time to absorb the yolk. It’s a hit or miss with them being early more than 3+ days. It doesn’t happen like that all the time, it could just be a fluke.

 

[spryng]

They might not be fully developed if they hatch early. It also gives them less time to absorb the yolk. It’s a hit or miss with them being early more than 3+ days. It doesn’t happen like that all the time, it could just be a fluke.

Good to know! It's fascinating how we think an egg hatching is so simple but in reality it's one amazing intricate process

 

[Kholts]

Usually the heat makes them hatch early. If it’s happened more than once I would get more than one thermometer and see what each of them says. I use glass thermometers not digital. Digital ones tend to be off and the thermometer on the incubator is usually never spot on.

What’s your humidity at till lockdown?

Sorry if you already answered that

The thermometer I calibrated before going into this hatch is glass. I know for a fact my actual internal thermometer is off.

I keep my humidity around the 55% mark. Now at lockdown I keep it at 75-80% which around here is what everyone hatched out at for ducks.

 

[AUChickenGal]

Does anyone have a good hatch rate with dry hatch. I had to add a bit of water in to get humidity up a bit. Just two Cap fulls of water.

My current incubation is the first time I’ve ever had a quitter from a dry hatch with non-shipped eggs - this one will be a 75% hatch (3 of 4) assuming nothing else goes wrong. With shipped eggs and a dry hatch, I usually get an 80+% hatch rate. I have never had an egg from any source make it to lockdown and not hatch. Granted, I’m in the very humid southeast, and I incubate small batches, so my numbers aren’t huge to begin with.

 

[Knighstar679]

First baby of April was a lively little Aztec duckling named Nibbler.


sadly Nibbler was a solo hatch all the others DISed when I had humidity problems and a power disconnect on the incubator.

but I have 13 black East Indie due to hatch in 7-8 days. And because I somehow became a gulton for fluffy faces chickens 4 chicken eggs due to hatch at the same time. I also should have more Aztec due to hatch right at the end of the month.
20 ducks is not enough right?

 

[spryng]

My NR360 is now a sea of fluffy chicks, today is day 21 and I can't tell how many are left to hatch in there because of all the fluff balls blocking the view lol For you experienced hatchers (this was my first time) would you remove the dry ones or continue lockdown? I'm torn on what to do. I don't want to risk any unhatched eggs but I feel like they are cramped in there... But that just may be me overthinking it lol thoughts? Advice?

 

[chickiebaby1]

My NR360 is now a sea of fluffy chicks, today is day 21 and I can't tell how many are left to hatch in there because of all the fluff balls blocking the view lol For you experienced hatchers (this was my first time) would you remove the dry ones or continue lockdown? I'm torn on what to do. I don't want to risk any unhatched eggs but I feel like they are cramped in there... But that just may be me overthinking it lol thoughts? Advice?

I think everyone has a slightly different approach, but I would quickly pull out the dried off ones and put them in the brooder. I don’t like them climbing all over the eggs still hatching.

 

[spryng]

I think everyone has a slightly different approach, but I would quickly pull out the dried off ones and put them in the brooder. I don’t like them climbing all over the eggs still hatching.

Thank you! That is what I was thinking as well. I'll have my boyfriend help so we can move fast, lift the lid, remove the fluffy ones and then see what is left and let them do their thing